When I was a kid, I wanted to be ... a farmer. I love the outdoors, the work and the way of life.

What would you rather be doing right now? Motorcycling or breaking clays with a shotgun.

Shhhhhh! Don't tell anyone that ... I like chick flicks.

Other than your wedding day or the birth of your children, what was your proudest moment? It's impossible to name one, but my proudest moments are when I observe my children's lives, the spouses they have chosen and the people they've become.

It really stinks when ... people whine, place blame, worry or have ongoing pity parties.

What word in the dictionary would your face be next to?
"Faith-filled."

I always laugh when ... my Labrador, Oskee-Bow-Wow, does something silly.

Invite any three people, living or dead, to dinner. Who are they? My dad and sister, who died too young, and of course, Jesus. Is any explanation necessary?

At the end of a really long day at work, I like to ... flop on the couch and take a power nap.

People who knew me in high school thought I was ... conceited, and they were probably right. Insecurity can be expressed in strange ways.

My most unforgettable brush with greatness was ... in 1972, when I was invited along with about 25 other people to sit in on a private meeting with Ralph Nader after he spoke at a convention in Kansas City. I don't remember anything he said, but I remember his unshined shoes and unkempt white shirt and ill-fitting black suit. Mostly, I was just in awe of being able to personally talk with him.

I would drop all my plans tonight if I had the chance to ... visit my children, who live in Utah, Guatemala, and the closest, in Champaign.

If someone gave me a million dollars, there is still no way I would ... pay someone to mow my yard, as long as I am able.

America should be more concerned about ... personal accountability and work ethic. I grieve its loss, but I am not sure how to get it back.

I'm OK if there's ever a national shortage of ... outdoor/hunting/shooting sports magazines. When I throw some away (seldom), it's like I'm losing an old friend. Without failure, after disposal, I'll be wanting an article that I pitched.

What place in the world would you most like to visit? The Bavarian Alps. Why? Some unexplained romantic notion. Perhaps I have watched "The Sound of Music" too many times.

What is the most useful piece of advice you have ever received? Love is a decision. Kathy and I learned this on our Marriage Encounter weekend in 1981. Tough sometimes, but doable, and always worthwhile.

When I'm cruising down the road, I'm likely listening to ... country music, talk radio, contemporary Christian music, maybe the news, classical (I have a lot of interests).

I always get sentimental when ... I think about harvest time or hunting season when I was growing up on the farm.

The older I get, the more I realize ... the faster time goes.

If I had one "do-over," I would ... have been in the chorus in high school and entered the insurance industry in my 20s rather than in my 30s.

My favorite item of clothing is ... my old, faded blue parka that I wear when on my morning prayer walk with Oskee. It's just comfy.

If I've learned anything at all ... it's that life isn't fair, but God is always there.

Stan Schwartz, 56, is the owner of Schwartz Insurance Services, which specializes in health and long-term care insurance. He grew up on a farm near Big Neck and graduated from the University of Illinois. He has been married to his wife, Kathy, for 33 years. They have three adult children, and their first grandchild is on the way.