20 random things about me.
by Ralph Peterson

1. I was supposed to be left handed but my parents made me be right handed. As a result I write with my right hand, and do just about everything else with my left hand. i.e. throw, paint, drill. I do eat with both hands but I like to use a fork.

2. I won first place at the Science fair when I was in 7th Grade and almost flunked Science in the years following. (I guess it was just too boring for me.)

3. After I re-dedicated my life to the Lord Jesus Christ, I worked in youth ministry as the head of the A/V department and assistant drama director for 15 years under Pastor Steve Munds. (The youth group had a roster of around 650 teens) I learned a lot about Audio, TV, lighting and sound. Plus I've made many, many life long friends and I've seen many people change over the years. (All for the better I might add)

4. Before working in Youth Ministry I could never get up in front of people to speak. I'd avoid it at all costs and I was always very nervous and without confidence I'd stumble over my words. Now it doesn't bother me at all. I've even spoken in front of about 1,500 people at church. http://LWCC.org/

5. When I was growing up my dad had the only body shop in Southern MN that fixed Corvette's. There always seemed to be a Corvette in his shop. I've wanted a Corvette since I was 7. I have not yet owned my dream car. As a side note, every time my wife has her nails done I tell her that she smells like a Corvette. She thinks that's funny. (Corvette bodies are made out of fiberglass not metal. The smell of repaired fiberglass is identical to what you smell in a nail shop.)

6. When I as 19 I got stopped by 6' 5" - 230 lb. County Sheriff "Shorty" Kruger, after riding my motocross motorcycle down my home town main street at 65 MPH [104 KPH]. He looked at my drivers license and asked me if I was Lyle Peterson's son. I said, "Yes." He just handed my license back to me and said, "Hum, here ya go, now slow down after this." He never gave me a ticket! I didn't question why he let me off but I assumed that he and my dad knew each other. To this day, I still have my motorcycle license but don't have a motorcycle. I will have a motorcycle again some day but you can be sure that I'll stay far away from Shorty.

7. Two summers ago we were driving on Highway 61 North of Duluth, it was a two lane road, there was a string of 5 cars and the lead one was going about 45 MPH [72 KPH], in a 60 MPH [96 KPH] zone. I accelerated and passed all 5 cars at once. What I didn't know at the time I passed the lead slow car at 104 MPH [167 KPH] was that the second to the last car was an un-marked highway patrol. I got by the lead car just as a string of cars came from the other direction. I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the second car pass the lead car and super accelerate up behind me. By that time I had slowed to 60 MPH. He got right up behind me about two car lengths back. I could see the red and blue lights in his grill and all of the antennas on the car. I was sweating bullets and I KNEW that I was toast! He stayed there for 18 miles until I pulled into a gas station. Then he drove on by. The only thing that I could think of is that he could not clock my speed as I blew by him. None-the-less, I shakily filled up with gas and went on my way. (HA)

8. Speaking of speeding... I received my only speeding ticket on my 18th birthday for going 35 MPH [72 KPH ] in a 25 MPH [40 KPH] zone. (My wife has me beat, she got a speeding ticket going 93 MPH.)

9. I moved to the Twin Cities in 1977. I bought a '69 Camaro and went drag racing. I later sold that car and bought a dragster. I was tied for 7th place in points at North Star Drag Strip on I-35W the last year the track was open. I've raced in Illinois, Wisconsin and in South Dakota I also raced in the Division 5 finals. My Camaro ran a best of 11.22 E.T. (Elapsed Time) in the Quarter mile with the 4 speed. With the 2 speed automatic it ran a best of 11.78 E.T . I ran a 9.32 E.T. with the dragster at 145 MPH [233 KPH]. I built my own racing engines and transmissions. I once stayed up all night assembling and installing a new racing engine so I could race at a big championship the next day, loaded up the car on the trailer, drove 2 hours to the race track, only to find out that there was no championship race scheduled for that day. (Before the days of cell phone and Internet)

10. I've always wanted to set a land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. I have not yet chosen a class to run in and thus do not yet know what kind of car I will build but it will be a class that is in the 200+ MPH [321+ KPH] zone. I am actively looking for sponsors to help me accomplish this vision. (You may be one of the sponsors!)

11. I was the editor of my high school news paper. There were 34 people in my high school graduating class. (We didn't have to worry about overcrowding where I grew up.)

12. I like to write. Most of all I like humor writing. My high school English teacher, Mr. David U'Ren (Yes that is his real name) saw that gift in me and always encouraged me to write.

13. I was a ghost writer for Youth Pastor Steve Munds. For 7 years, I wrote a daily Internet message called Be4ore, as Pastor Steve. I've also written messages for Pastor Mac Hammond, Pastor John George, Pastor Scott Sibinski, Pastor Spencer Nordyke, Pastor Tracy Harris, Rev. Chip Brim & Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne plus others as well.

14. I've always liked building and remodeling things. I built my own club house out of used lumber when I was growing up. Actually that's not true, I got all of the kids in the neighborhood to come over and THEY built the club house while I watched.

15. I've audio recorded, edited and produced, over 80 radio shows that aired in Minneapolis and WIND Chicago. Plus I've produced, and edited two 30 second TV commercials that aired on MTV.

16. I'm fascinated by Time Travel books, TV Shows and movies. My favorite time travel movie was "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" and I have two favorite TV shows that delve into time travel, LOST and Heroes.

17. My wife and I have been on many short term missions trips over seas. Peru, China, Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia. And I know that some day I will go to Australia on a missions trip. After you've been on a trip like that, when you get home you truly say, "Thank GOD for the USA!" Many people have no idea how good we have it in this country!

18. I love oxymoron's. I lean more toward the moron's than the oxy's. And because of that I am a legend in my own mind. (Just don't tell anyone about it)

19. I cannot grow a beard. When I try to grow a beard I have bare patches all over my face. It just doesn't fill in at all. I can go two days before my wife notices that I didn't shave. Speaking of shaving, I could never shave my head either. I'd look like a Klingon! I hit my head so many times when I was growing up I have bumps all over. If you are wondering about that bump on my forehead? Ricky Lindy tripped me in second grade, I did a face-plant on the concrete floor. The bump never went away.

20. I climbed Mt Everest 3 times and Mt. Kilimanjaro twice and I've lied about it all 5 times.