If you follow me on Facebook or on Twitter @russkent — and why wouldn’t you? — you already know a great deal about me. In person, I’m kind of shy and introverted, but on Facebook and when I’m writing, I am anything but. So pretty much anything goes.

My boss, Vicki Taylor, and I had a conversation the other day. She was talking to another editor at another Civitas Media site and the topic turned to columns. This other editor said she felt uncomfortable writing about herself. Vicki’s reply was … something like “Geez, read some of Russ Kent’s columns. He’s full of himself, and loves writing about it.”

I couldn’t argue with her response. It’s true. I love writing and I feel most comfortable writing about things I know. And frankly, there is nothing in the world I know more about than, well, me.

But, I don’t want this column to be completely about self-promotion. So, while you are on Facebook, follow the Galion Inquirer’s page. And if you are on Twitter, follow the Inquirer @GalionNews. Oh, and we also have a website, GalionInquirer.com. I’m still trying to figure out the intricacies of that thing, but I’m getting there.

Anyway, back to myself.

Here are some more “interesting” things about me.

• I’m an animal lover. I have two adopted cats (I’m trying to catch a feral cat to get it fixed. This cat spends an inordinate amount of time in my garage, on my back porch and sleeping in my flower bed); a rescue pitbull; and I am seriously considering guinea pigs … a friend recently adopted two, and now I want two, too.
• I love to golf and I do it every chance I can, which isn’t enough to make me any good. I’m not. Consequently, it’s the one place strangers may hear me yelling a curse or three, smashing a driver into the fairway or lovingly tossing a 3-iron 30 yards down the fairway, often farther than the ball i just hit. Still, even when I’m not breaking 100, I love the fresh air, the smell of grass, the breeze, a fast golf cart and the adult beverages that go hand and hand with all that green.
• I am a staunch supporter of the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Ohio State Buckeyes. But I hate the crowds that come with attending games in person. Plus, I’m spoiled. I’ve seen the Browns play three times, each time I watched from the press box, or from the sideline as I pretended I was a legitimate photographer. I’ve seen the Cavs four or five times, but always from press row. I never felt so tiny as the time I interviewed Shaquille O’Neal. It was his rookie season. He was really, really, really tall and at that time, there was not an ounce of fact on that chiseled body. There is nothing better than watching an Ohio State football game as a member of the media. They feed you before the game, at halftime, have snacks during the game, and there is food available after the game. The Indians are the exception. I like to watch a Tribe game live once or twice a year. You can typically get great seats from a scalper at a great price, the parking isn’t too difficult (you can ride a train to get there) and the weather is usually warm and sunny.
• I love movies: good, schlock, sad, funny, science fiction, sports, old, new, color, black and white. I’m not a big fan of romantic comedies, but toss in Julia Roberts as an attractive, funny, personable hooker and I’ll watch it daily.
• I love to read. Mostly fiction. Any kind of fiction. My favorites right now are James Patterson; the late Michael Crichton; the late Tom Clancy, and whoever is carrying on after his death; Brad Thor; Robert Grisham; Lincoln Childs and Douglas Preston; and Jimmy Buffett. Yep, Buffett books are as enjoyable as they come. If you like his music, you’ll like his books. Stephen King is hit and miss with me. Often, if I can get through the first 100 pages of a Stephen King book, I’ll enjoy it.
• I hate pageantry, so I’ll never watch the closing or opening ceremonies of the Olympics. I hate halftime shows. I am not a big fan of reality TV. The only true to fact reality show I’ve ever seen is “Amish Mafia.” And apparently I’m the only one who believes that is real.
• I love a good political discussion (argument). But they are best in person. They make no sense on Facebook or Twitter, because you need facial expressions and sarcasm and genuine snarkiness to be a good arguer. And those traits — which I do very well — don’t come across well on Facebook, or Twitter. Also, I’ve never been wrong when it comes to a political argument. So I have that going for me.

So, that’s a little about me. I vowed when I started this job to write a column for every edition. Some days that’s hard to do. But there is always that one topic I know more about than anyone in the world. Me.

So on a day like today, this is what you get … me, myself and I.

But I would love to learn more about some of our readers. That is why I encourage guest columns and letters to the editor. Send them to me at [email protected]. If you have an idea, if you have a non-profit, if you have a point of view and want to share it, letters and columns are one way to spread the word. I’m not going to print everything I receive, but I’ll seriously consider everything I receive.

Anyway, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.