Being Mark Cohen

Seth threw the resuscitated meme my way, it’s come back to life (And who upped it from 5 to 8 things!). It took this meme to make me realise what a boring sod I’ve become. Anyway, here goes…

The meme is basically defined as follows:

The ground rules for the meme are simple. Here they are…

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Little known facts about Mark:

1. Nineteen years ago, I had a crush on a beautiful girl I had met at uni. When I tried to act on it she shot me down in flames. Eight years later we started dating. We’ve been married for ten years now
2. I once climbed a cliff with some mates to stand under a waterfall. I sat down on a rock ledge with my wet board-shorts and covered in sunblock. I started sliding uncontrollably down the sloping rocks and still believe the only reason I am here is because my mate’s wife Jo happened to be sitting close enough to catch me as I slid past her.
3. I once backpacked around South America for five months. I went to Salvador in Brazil for Carnaval. I slept in a hammock between the washing lines in the yard of one of the university’s student residence blocks, drank copious amounts of Cachasa and partied like there was no tomorrow. Each morning I woke up wishing there hadn’t been a tomorrow
4. I marched through Johannesburg’s streets behind Mac Maharaj, Walter Sisulu and other famous ANC leaders – and once tagged along with Ken Oosterbroek taking photos. Ken Oosterbroek was later tragically killed when he got caught in crossfire in Tokoza
5. I started off studying mechanical engineering because my father thought a BSc was a waste of time and there was no future in computers. Really, he did I got to third year and then changed over to a BSc majoring in Computer Science and Applied Maths. I was going to major in maths but my professor told me it was a waste of time. He then resigned and went off to become a commercial pilot. Really
6. I’m a closet chef. I like to watch cooking shows, even Jamie Oliver. My wife always curses that I watch them but never seem to make it from the couch to the kitchen to actually do anything.
7. I once started a software consultancy, in South Africa. Two friends and I invested the lofty sum of R1,000 (about $300 each, then) and started up a business. We had two computers, and three of us – so we used to take it in turns to code. When I left South Africa my partners bought me out and they have since sold the business. Of the three original partners, one is in Digital Media in Australia, one is VP, transormation services at Cap Gemini in London and one was IT Manager at a big courier firm in South Africa last I heard (we’re kind-of out of contact now).
8. I am a closet handyman and gardener. I’ve made great gardens in every house I have ever lived in with fishponds and meandering layouts except this one. Financial constraints, the tiny size, and lately the drought put an end to that. It’s not a done deal though – I’ll fix this one up one day too

And now for the tagging:
Anthony Milner
Vicky Lalwani
Josh Anstey
Anubhav Goyal
Dhruv Parashar
Sanson Lowe
Paul Wakeford
Saul Tombuk