CHRISTOPHER MEIER, a dealer at Turtle Creek Casino, would like to trade places with Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Name: Christopher Meier

Town or township of residence: Bingham Township.

Resident of the county since: 1992. “I was born in Chicago, but grew up in Charlevoix before moving down here in 1992.”

Age and birthplace: 35 and he was born in Chicago.

Occupation: Dealer at Turtle Creek Casino. “Before that I worked at the Leelanau Sands, then I worked for Drywall Dynamics.”

Marital status: “I’m not married, but I’ve been living with my significant other Deidra Wilson for 18 years.”

You live in Leelanau County because: “I had just started a family with Deidra. She came from here. This county is a good place to have a family and raise children.”

Last good movie you saw: Knocked Up. “My kids got me to watch it. It’s really funny. It’s about two people, how they meet, get into a situation, then both have to grow up. It’s similar to how me and Deidra met.”

Last good book you read: “I don’t read books, I probably should. I read newspapers, the Leelanau Enterprise and the Record Eagle. I also read a lot of news off the internet.”

If you could trade places with one person for a day, who would that be: Dale Earnhardt Jr. “He is my favorite NASCAR guy. I got to meet him in Daytona in 2004 and three days later he went on to win the Daytona 500 for the first time. I would just like to get behind the wheel of his car, have his knowledge and meet the people he gets to meet. I think that would be fantastic.”

Things important to you that you have accomplished so far: “Raising my children. My oldest, Jonathan, is 16, then there is Chad, Eric and Allison. They are turning out to be great people, into reasonable, thinking adults. I am very proud and happy with my kids.”

What you hope to be doing in 10 years: “Holding my first grandkids. Be successful, own my home and cars and be debt free. Being out of debt, that would be great.”

Things you lose sleep over: “I sleep pretty well. Each night before I go to sleep I say a prayer for all my family friends that they are safe. That helps me sleep better.”

If you could change one thing in Leelanau County, it would be: “I like the county the way it is. I guess if I had to change one thing is sometimes the roads get too congested during the summer. I don’t know that more roads is the answer, it just would be nice to not have so much traffic sometimes.”

Favorite dessert: “My son Jonathan makes a no-bake cherry cheesecake. I love it, it’s the only dessert I will eat, Jonathan’s no-bake cherry cheesecake.”

Are you a coffee drinker: “Yes. I drink it up until noon, then after midnight. I work the 7 p.m.-4 a.m. shift at the casino. I like my coffee sweet. The old joke for me is ‘I like a little coffee with my sugar.’”

Favorite place in Leelanau County: “At home with my family and children. We also have a good boat, so in the summer I would say out on Omena Bay, watching my children swimming in the water. They can stay out there for hours.”

If you had more time, you would: “Be more involved with children’s school and education. My kids go to Suttons Bay, I would go to the school board meetings and learn about what’s happening. I’m not saying I’m unhappy with my kid’s education, I just want to be more involved.”

The words that best describe you are: “Happy, direct, what you see is what you get.”