25 Things to Reveal the Inner Magic
Tag You're It!!! If you haven't already, Go ahead and create your own page with 25 things about yourself, and post your lens below.
I'm actually having more fun with this lens now, than when I first started. At first it was hard to think of things to include. But after a while, my mindset changed and I started finding lots of things that would be fun to include.
The picture here to the left is me after a day of farming with the tree line from the nearby creek behind me. My hair's all scruffy, and I've got my farmer hat on.
My mother actually built a small rock dam across the creek when I was young. We cleared the brush from the bank next to it, and it became a picnic area for family and friends.
We had to drive about 1/3 mile across the field to get to it. Whenever we planned a picnic with the family that owned the field on the other side of the creek, they would drive through their own field, and cross the creek on stepping stones to get to the picnic area.
Contents at a Glance
The Early Years
1. I grew up on a farm in rural Iowa.2. My first computer was an Atari 800.
3. I used to walk beans when I was young.
4. I drove a 1963 Chevy BelAir in high school. I enjoyed driving the oldest car of all the kids in school.
5. I have a degree in Computer Information Systems with a minor in Digital Electronics.
Atari 800 - Wikipedia article.
Walk beans - Good story about it.
Farmer Mike
6. I enjoy baling hay when it doesn't rain. Hay Baling Tips was actually my first Squidoo lens.7. I used to farm about 500 acres of certified organic crops with my father.
8. I took my dog with me in the tractor and combine when farming. That's Cisco to the right here.
9. I used to have about 20 ewes, and raised lambs to sell.
10. I actually miss going out to check on my ewes at 3am during lambing season. Of course, if I had to do it again, my point of view would change relatively soon.
Hay Baling Tips - Learn my secrets!
Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me, Me

This is a panorama shot of the creek and alfalfa field next to our house. I appear in the photo 10 times. Can you find them all?
Zoom in for a better look.
Huna
12. I participate in a supportive Huna community via Second Life. We get together regularly on Pali Uli island in Second Life to chat with friends and discuss Huna. Join Second Life and stop by. I'd be happy to meet you.
13. My favorite Huna books are Mastering Your Hidden Self: Guide to the Huna WayHuna - Articles on Huna.
Second Life - Wikipedia article.
Join Second Life - Create your own virtual avatar.
Mastering Your Hidden Self - Helped me put all the pieces together.
Huna: Ancient Hawaiian Secrets for Modern Living - Serge's latest book.
What's In A Name?
14. The name MagicBeanDip originates from a combination of my first blog post ever, and my spinach bean dip recipe.15. My dog is named after a Star Trek character.
16. Charles Eames is the namesake of my Second Life avatar (Farmer Eames).
I chose Charles Eames not because I liked his work, but because he was an architect whose claim to fame was designing chairs. Most architects would want to be famous for designing big buildings. It tickled me that this guy found fame for designing chairs.
First blog post ever - Presto Chango Posto
Spinach bean dip - Life is better with bean dip.
Charles Eames - Wikipedia article.
Eames Office - Extending and preserving his legacy.
Eames Exhibit - Library of Congress.
Food
17. I like banana corn bread or cornmeal porridge for breakfast.18. I've made tofu from my own organically raised soybeans.
19. My favorite vice is chocolate.
20. I eat stinging nettle, and various other weeds.
The thing about stinging nettle, is that it's not out to get you, it just has good boundaries. If you are respectful of the nettle, it's fine with being stroked, petted, and plucked. Sometimes when I pick nettle, I'm not paying attention and my hand hits a nettle plant when I shift my weight. That's when I get stung. I hardly ever get stung when I'm actually picking the leaves.
Banana corn bread - The banana makes it better.
Cornmeal porridge - Incredibly quick, easy, and inexpensive.
Stinging nettle - Wikipedia article.
Important Things... Like Samuri and Winter Hats
21. My favorite Samuri is Zatoichi, the blind swordsman.22. My favorite Star Trek character is Jean-Luc Picard.
23. My favorite winter hat has ear flaps. They match my beard because their furry.
24. I enjoy getting bundled up in winter clothes and going outside in sub-zero weather. For about 15 minutes anyway, then I'm ready to go back inside. :)
Zatoichi - Yes, I said blind swordsman.
The Most Influential Day Of My Life
25. No list about me is complete without mentioning that I married Mona Marie Taylor some time in August of 1990. It's quite fortunate for me that both of us forget the exact date every year. We have to dig out our marriage license to make sure we get the date right. :)
We got married at Stavkirke Chapel in Rapid City, SD. It's an exact replica of the Borgund stavkirke, of Laerdal, Norway, which was built around the year 1150 and is considered the most completely preserved stave church still standing in Norway.Stavkirke Chapel - Official website.
Share Your Own Magic Here!
Thank you for your comments, and for sharing links to your own list of 25 things about you!
-
Reply
- a_willow a_willow Apr 17, 2009 @ 1:09 pm
- You are one of January 2009 graduates! Come by and answer few questions to show the way to those who will follow! Wish you many, many more great lenses!
-
Reply
- Braiden Braiden Apr 8, 2009 @ 6:58 am
- Hey, I notie you were also featured in the People section in the Fresh Squid lens.
Thought I might say hi!..
My Lens Is Discrimination Possibly Instinctive?
Was also in the same section.
Lovely lens.
Always nice to have personality in writing.
Thanks again.
Braiden xx
-
Reply
- sittonbull sittonbull Mar 10, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
- What a neat lens. Loved reading your 25 things. I grow horse hay with coastal bermuda (that is when we get rain!) Have had historic droughts the last few years! stars, fanned and faved
-
Reply
- WendyKrick WendyKrick Mar 4, 2009 @ 4:05 pm
- I loved your 25 things lens! 5 stars and a lensroll.
-
Reply
- OhMe OhMe Feb 27, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
- I love the 25 Things About Me lenses. Great job and I enjoyed learning about you.
- Load More
Thank You!
The "I Am Loved" Challenge
MagicBeanDip's Lens of Squidoo Learning
Famous Love Quotes
by MagicBeanDip
Famous Love Quotes.
I live with my wife Mona on a farm in rural Iowa, where we have a small custom frame shop and gallery that... (more)
