Mike Ardis walks the plank by answering the Corsair questions. If you really like his answers leave a comment, and his answers may end up in the next issue of the newspaper.
Q: What do you teach?
A: Criminal Justice
Q: How long have you been a teacher?
A: 17 years (5 as an adjunct and 12 full-time)
Q: When you were little, what did you want to be when you “grew up”?
A: Lots of things at different times. At one time, when I was really young, I thought working at an amusement park, at the beach in South Carolina, would be fun.
Q: What was your first job?
A: I started cutting grass in my neighborhood, with a push mower, at the ripe old age of 10. My Dad told me if I wanted money then I needed to earn it. I knocked on doors and found my own customers. I would push a mower over a whole yard, back and front, for $5.00 back then.
Q: Where were you born?
A: God’s Country, South Carolina 🙂
Q: What was your major in college?
A: Undergraduate, History and International Studies double major; Graduate, Criminal Justice
Q: Where do you want to retire?
A: I like the Pensacola/Gulf Coast area, but my heart and soul belongs in the land of Calhoun, Pinckney, and the Palmetto State Flag. . . South Carolina.
Q: Describe any hobbies that you have.
A: I like reading and keeping up with news/current events. In my discipline things are in a constant state of flux, and I have to keep up with the times or my students will let me know about it. I also like gardening and working in the yard. Also, University of South Carolina Gamecock Football!
Q: Do you know a second language? If not, what language would you want to learn?
A: I took Hebrew as my required sequence of language in college. I couldn’t tell you a thing about what I learned.
Q: What did you have for breakfast?
A: Honey Bunches of Oats and Orange Juice.
Q: Describe your dream vacation.
A: I love going to Pawley’s Island in South Carolina with my family. We’ve rented a house there many times over the years. It’s tucked away in Georgetown County and doesn’t have any commercial buildings at all. It’s all ocean, homes, and marsh.
Q: If you could be any cartoon character who would you be?
A: Underdog. . . I feel like I could finally do him some justice.
Q: What was the last concert you attended?
A: My concert days are slowly passing me by, but the last one I went to was in North Charleston, SC and it was to see Bob Dylan.
Q: What was the best concert you ever attended?
A: Pink Floyd in 1994 in Clemson, South Carolina.
Q: Who is the most famous person you have met?
A: If I had to rank them I suppose it would be then Vice-President (soon to be President) George H.W. Bush. He was running for President when I was in college at the University of South Carolina. I was working a reception for him being hosted by the Republican Party. My job was to work the tent (and keg) for the College Republicans (go ahead and take your shots democrats). Anyway, he came through the tent, and I gave him and beer and he shook my hand. He made the rounds very quickly, came back to me, gave me his empty and said, “We’ve met before let’s meet again,” and we laughed and I got him another brew.
Q: What is your favorite sports team?
A: The University of South Carolina Gamecocks.
Q: What was your favorite childhood television show?
A: So many to choose from, but I’ve always like the Andy Griffith Show. Although it wasn’t in its first run when I was a child, I did watch it a lot in re-runs. I liked it because it was a clean comedy and each show had a morality lesson. Or at least it appeared that way to me.
Q: What is your favorite music?
A: I like classic rock. My favorite is Pink Floyd.
Q: What’s your favorite quote?
A: “When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished by how much he’d learned in seven years.” Mark Twain
Q: Who would play you in a movie about your life?
A: Probably either Glenn Beck or Sean Hannity. Just kidding…I wanted to upset the liberal elite. No one would make a movie about my life.
Q: Any last words?
A: Where’s the birth certificate?
If you have a favorite teacher who you think should “walk the plank,” put their name in a comment below.