6 Shocking facts about Canadian artist Carl parker, aka "me"

     So you think you know ol' Carl?  Well, you probably know some, quite a bit even.  You know I'm an artist, that I paint; and you know that I have Asperger's and that I'm prone to the occasional rant.  But, there are some things, 6 that come to mind that I'll bet you didn't know that may even shock you.  So let's get started with the fun:

​1.  As a kid I stuttered:  And I mean I had a wicked stutter.  It was a pain in the ass!  Thankfully, I received treatment for it and it resolved itself.  The only trace of it left is if I get really, really mad and worked up, I'll still stumble over my words a bit.

​2.  I have never owned a mobile phone and I never will!:  I hate them!  I never wanted one, and I don't want one now.  I actually really hate the idea of a device that forces me to be constantly available to one and all.  I know these days most people seem to want to be connected 24/7, not me, no thanks.

​3.  I'm a big softie:  What I mean by this is I'm incredibly sensitive.  I guess that may not be so shocking as artists often are stereotyped as such.  However, it is surprising when paired against my appearance.  I'm a big, tough looking dude, but I cry over movies, t.v. shows, songs, and hell, even a thought will pop into my head that tears me up.

​4.  I was briefly in the military:  And when I say "briefly", I mean it!  In my younger days, I decided joining the Army was a good idea.  Why not, eh?  People do it all the time, my step-father was in the army, I went to high school on a military base.  Well, my illustrious military career lasted all of 3 days.  Thankfully, someone noticed that I was ill-suited to the military life, and here I am!

​5.  I'm terrified of heights and spiders:  If it's higher than maybe a story, a story and a half, forget it, I'm not going up there (as the late comedian Jon Pinnette would say, "I say nay, nay"). The panic sets in and no good can come of it!.  As for the spiders, they creep me out!  I don't like them.  And when I say spiders, I mean all creepy crawly things, but especially spiders.  If I see one in the house, I call Misty to take care of it. 

​6.     I love toasted peanut butter and Cheez Whiz sandwiches:  Or I did, as a kid.  I no longer eat either peanut butter or Cheez Whiz.  The peanut butter because as I got older, I seem to have developed a nut sensitivity and the Cheez Whiz because I no longer eat processed food (you don't drop 150 pounds by scarfing that stuff down).  I can see you screwing up your face as you try to imagine the combination, but let me assure you, as strange as it sounds, it's delicious!

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