Meet Brent: 40 for 40
- Brent
- Dec 11, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 2, 2024
ESPN’s critically acclaimed documentary series, 30 for 30, highlights interesting people and events in the history of sports. In honor of me turning 40 in 2023, I’m introducing myself with my own version. Hi, my name is Brent. Here are 40 things about me, along with 40 movies that sum up my life, in my personal 40 for 40…
Truthfully, though I know it’s hard to believe, my story doesn’t begin on Fresh Prince’s playground. It begins in New York. And no, I’m not cool enough to be born in NYC, as my 1983 birth took place in Rochester, New York. But speaking of cool, did you know that much of The Amazing Spider Man 2 was filmed in my birth city? What’s even cooler than cool is that the epic car chase scene was filmed there, thanks to the less restrictive speed limit laws in upstate New York.
I didn’t stick around NY for long, however, as my parents moved us to the mitten state when I was the ripe old age of one. Southeastern Michigan’s suburbia, like Mr. Mom and his motley crew, is where I spent most of my days.
One more thing about my birth: I was born cross-eyed, and if not for the multiple eye surgeries as an infant, maybe I would have been an X-Men. When I was younger, I could make my eyes go cross-eyed. Too bad I have since lost that superpower.
I have brown hair and blue eyes. I know, so deep with that one, right? But guess what…so does Casey Affleck in the Ocean’s Eleven series.
As for another deep, about me fact that’s never changed: Red has always been my favorite color. That’s a good Bruce Willis movie, by the way, which stands for Retired, Extremely Dangerous. Now there’s something I’m not!
I remember one summer when my grandparents came to visit. It was then when my grandpa led the effort to build us a tree house, so no, it was nothing like The War with Grandpa.
During my middle school years, my parents left for the store one evening, and came home with the impulsive purchase of a Ping Pong table. That was the beginning of my Forrest Gump training. I still love the game, though I’ve unfortunately lost some skill over the years.
The highlight of my youth, without question, was leading the creation of the SSHL: The Summer Street Hockey League. However, we needed Adam “Cake-Eater” Banks from The Mighty Ducks, losing in the finals both years of the four-team league’s existence. As for what disbanded the SSHL, ask my mom.
It was around those same years, when a brother, two neighbors, and I formed a mini-lawn care service to mow a few neighborhood lawns. If only I could say my lawn mowing career included that of a romantic episode as depicted in Easy A. (Side note: My research of this post revealed that Emma Stone and I share a November 6th birthday. So cool!)
However, my first “real” job, meaning one that required the unfortunate honor of paying taxes, was the restaurant known for their golden arches. Technically, I was employed at McDonald’s for a month…but as for my only paycheck, I worked a whopping nine hours! Guess I wasn’t ready for a “real” job yet or to be considered part of “the wonderful crew of McDonald’s,” as stated during the tardiness speech in Clueless. And yes, I leave that one off the resume. “As if!”
The film titled, Love and Basketball, perfectly sums up my first love. I was all things basketball, spending countless hours in the driveway honing my jump shot. Despite once draining 126 consecutive free throws, the heartache of being cut from school basketball teams on multiple occasions was devastating. I suppose I should have worked on other aspects of my game. 😊
The first season of American Idol began towards the end of my high school career, as did my celebrity crush for Kelly Clarkson. I totally called in, voting for her way back then…and yet, I never got around to watching her in the box office disaster, From Justin to Kelly.
As for my first “real” job that lasted more than nine hours, it wasn’t Fox Books or The Shop Around the Corner from You’ve Got Mail, but it was a bookstore, as I worked at Borders.
I didn’t get my driver’s license until I was 18, a result of my lack of confidence, and driving like that teen girl in The Pacifier.
Getting into college wasn’t the easiest feat for me, and though it wasn’t quite Harvard Law of Legally Blonde, Brigham Young University – Idaho was where I’d call home for all five years of my undergrad. I’ll never forget my mom’s surprise at my acceptance letter. 😊
The movie Napoleon Dynamite was released in 2004, during my 2nd year at college. Shortly after, I started hearing, “if only my hair were a different color, I’d look like Napoleon.” I didn’t see it.
My worst college semester, grade wise, was the one when my roommates and I got addicted to Nintendo 64’s Mario Kart. Good memories, just not for my collegiate report card. Kids, video games and good grades don’t mix, even if you want to become The Wizard.
You know what else doesn’t mix with good grades: Girls. The semester I met my future wife, closer to the end of my collegiate career, ranked as my 2nd worst. Yet, it was the beginning of our Love Story.
Good thing her teachers never learned about the time we kissed in the solitude of the facial room, or she would have been a “Beauty School Dropout”, as sung in Grease. I enjoyed the facial, just not as much as my new girlfriend’s lips. And guess what, I’m not sorry about it.
This seems about as good a time as any to mention that I’m deathly afraid of heights. It hasn’t led me to retirement yet, as it did in the Hitchcock classic, Vertigo. But still, it’s bad. Just thinking about bridges, ladders, and roller coasters sends shivers up my spine.
Speaking of heights, I’m 6 feet 4, while my wife is a whopping 4 feet 11. I grew an inch in college, while she hasn’t seen any height improvement since 8th grade. That even puts to shame the one-foot difference between Han Solo and Princess Leia who finally face their feelings in the Star Wars sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. Regardless, I’ll take that company anytime.
As for The Internship, getting my bachelor’s degree in business management required one. Thanks to a family neighbor connection, I snagged one with the NBA’s Detroit Pistons Community Relations Department. Lots of unpaid hours, so maybe it wasn’t quite the basketball dream it appeared to be at first.
I love taking A Walk to Remember, especially, in the morning. It’s those quiet moments of early solitude when I do my best thinking, and it’s fair to say, was a big reason Date Like the Movies went from being a dream project into this living reality.
As for the location where I do my 2nd best thinking, the lead character in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off shows us the spot while singing in the shower. “Bueller?”
I’m a Jell-O connoisseur, if there is such a thing. Perhaps, in large part because it’s one of the handful of foods I can make. But I like Crème Brule too, thus, giving me a soft spot for My Best Friend’s Wedding.
My wife and I have given birth (correction: she gave birth) to two boys and two girls, so not exactly like the all-female siblings of Little Women. But like Robert March, I’m a father of four.
For our five-year anniversary, when we only had two kids, we celebrated with a couple’s getaway to Chicago. We had a blast exploring the Windy City together, not to mention, a place rich in theatric history. We even looked for The Fugitive, but Harrison Ford was nowhere to be found.
I started a sports camp for our kids and their friends in 2015, which has turned into a fun and free annual tradition. It’s not quite the same camp experience as Heavyweights and I’m no Ben Stiller, but nonetheless, it’s always a summer highlight.
Not exactly sure where this came from, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve had an intense desire to learn how to dance. Here’s to hoping my wife will Save the Last Dance for me.
My dream vacation, though maybe a bit cliché, is Hawaii. I know one day my wife and I will get there. In the meantime, feel free to call us Lilo & Stitch.
In the spirit of transparent vulnerability, I used to loathe my naturally curly hair. We often want what we can’t have, right? But I’ve come around and now, I love it! That’s just Now You See Me.
My wife thinks I’m crazy about this one, but sometimes I genuinely miss our simpler days of sharing one car, one cell phone, and having to go to the library to use The Net. Key word: Sometimes.
The best gift I ever received was when my older sister flew my then-girlfriend 2,000 miles to Michigan as a Christmas gift. Wow! Minutes after landing, I popped the question in The Terminal.
The gift I was most excited to give was a pair of handmade scrapbooks to my wife for our 14th wedding anniversary. It took countless hours of love, done in secrecy behind a multitude of white lies, all with the extraordinary help of my mom. And like the award-winning Up, it reminded me how good life has been and the adventure that still awaits us.
I like kissing my wife. And no, I didn’t mention that yet. The previous mention was kissing her as a girlfriend. 😊 I’m no Ryan Gosling, but I guess we have some kind of Crazy, Stupid, Love.
There’s no need to remind me that I haven’t aged since high school. Trust me. I’m aware of that fact. For those that know the movie Tuck Everlasting, let’s just say I’ve found the magic spring.
I’ll be forever grateful for the positive reception I received through The Social Network, meaning, strangers in a Facebook relationship group. Thank you for your encouragement and kind words to my initial posts. I wouldn’t have continued writing without it. You know who you are!
With apologies to my wife (and don’t worry, as she knows my feelings on this), there has only been one perfect thing ever created. The Cheez-It! The out-of-this-world snack even plays a role in Ghostbusters when Egon stuffs his face with the perfected crackers during the interviewing of Dana. Go watch it!
I love movies. Picking a single favorite movie is an impossible task, so I’m cheating, but here’s just a sampling of my favorites. It’s tough to beat Matt Damon in the Jason Bourne series or the epic saga of Lord of the Rings. When it comes to re-watchability, nothing beats The Sandlot. Oddly enough, as an elementary school child, I loved Newsies. (Still do!) The most quoted movie in the Jensen family is the Tom Hanks flick, That Thing You Do. And on and on and on…
I love dating. I’m so excited you’re here to join me in our Date Like the Movies journey. Let’s make it a Date Night.
Until next time, keep dating.
Brent
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