STAFF - Tom Gwaltney

Where were you born?

Chicago, but I don’t have many memories from the 2 months I lived there.

When were you born?  

January 19, 1987.

What about your family?  

I have a beautiful wife, Lisa, whom I dated for over 6 years before we were married.  I met her in my freshmen English class at McC – when it was a high school.  Marriage was probably the best decision I ever made, and I bet if you ask her, Lisa will tell you she’s glad to be on Team Gwaltney. I’ve also got one little brother (Dillon) just so happens to be a best friend as well, one mom and one dad.  They live just outside of Richmond, VA.  My mom is a high school administrator and my dad is retired FBI.       
   
What are some artists/bands you currently like?  

I will always like – Radiohead, Sigur Ros, Wilco, M. Ward, David Bazan, Taylor Swift, and Sufjan Stevens.

What television show(s) can't you miss?  

LOST, 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights

If you could only eat one thing from now until Jesus comes back, what would that be?

Steak fajitas from Lupe Tortilla.

What are your favorite movies?  

1. I am Legend, 2.  Lady in the Water, 3.  Hook  And as a general rule, I really like sports movies; I am a real sucker for underdog/Cinderella stories and for some reason I feel like sports movies portray those the best (i.e. Rudy, Might Ducks, Invincible).

What are you scared of?  

Nothing… also snakes and (lately) electricity (lightning, live wires, etc), or maybe that’s just a healthy respect.

Do you have any pet peeves?  

I have a lot of pet peeves… one of them is people who have too many pet peeves, and also keeping ridiculous double standards.  

If you could spend a day with anyone in history?  

LeBron James.  

3 places you've been:

I have been to Paris, Toronto, and Madrid.  Those are pretty much the only foreign ‘International Cities’ I’ve visited.

What books have influenced you the most?  

The Guiness Book of World Records.

What is the one scripture passage that is closest to your heart?

  I have always had a healthy jealousy for people who know what their “life verse” is:  THE verse that is always close to their heart.  I don’t have that- I have never had one passage that has always been tattooed on my heart and my sleeve.  One story that always seems to come back again and again in my life is how Jesus reinstates Peter at the end of the Gospel of John; Peter has point-blank denied Jesus 3 times in a row, and after Jesus returns from death, He deliberately seeks out Peter and says, “Come and have breakfast” (v 12).  To me, that invitation to breakfast means that Jesus will always seek us out – if we’ve denied Jesus 3 times or 30 times:  he still saves us a seat for us at His breakfast table.

Who has had the most influence on your life?

My dad.  I guess that is the role of a father in his son’s life – to be the biggest influence and the role model – I’m just lucky that I got a great one of whom I’m proud.  If I end up with half the heart my dad has – I’ll be set.

What is one thing nobody knows about you?

I have only admitted this to a handful of people:  I am addicted to Bert’s Bees lip balm.

What is one thing you hope to do in the near future?

I would love to be a published author – I’m pretty sure I don’t have the ability or the follow-through, but I would love to have something I wrote published