- I am accomplished in the fine art of footbag (AKA "Hacky Sack"). Not at the insane level of those competing in tournaments, but much more than your average joe. I've been playing for about 25 years. I credit (blame?) footbag in Red Square for extending my geology graduate degree at Western Washington University. I spent way too much time kicking the footbag and not enough work on the paleomagnetism thesis. A two year program got stretched to three.
- I love to backpack. Washington State has a lifetime worth of exploration in the Cascades and Olympic mountains. A few years ago a good friend and I completed the Wonderland Trail in 9 days. This was an amazing 97 mile loop around Mt. Rainier. It is stunning in beauty, but greuling and the most physically challenging experience of my life. There is a total of about 30,000 feet of elevation gain across the trail--the equivalent of climbing Mt. Everest from sea level. I highly recommend it to any lover of the alpine.
- One of the most rewarding summers I ever had was spent volunteering at the Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center in Ohio. Wellspring helps victims of abusive churches, organizations and cults with world-class licensed counselors and professionals.
- I provide the voices of about 20 stuffed animals that my kid has. In ten years I've come to love Bunny, Dumpy, Pengy, Space Jam, Nigel, Beuford, Meemer and the rest of the characters as much as my son does. Or more?
- I'm currently writing the third draft of a historical fiction novel about Newton. The novel is called "A Body at Rest" and is something of a mix between "The da Vinci Code", "Good Will Hunting" and "A Beautiful Mind". It's my first novel and I'm ready to reach the end of a 6 year process it's taken to get this far.
- I am creeped out by the sound of styrofoam rubbing together (is that random enough?)
Now I'm tagging six of my favorite bloggers that are worth your viewing (Newton's Ocean has already been tagged but he is worth a read too):
Tag Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they were tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they were tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
Posts
Thanks for the tag! I was pleased to find your interesting new blog (though technically I suppose you were the one who found me) and added you to my blogroll. Will get to this soon.
ReplyDelete#7 Pioneer in Vegetable Outerwear
ReplyDeleteBack in the late 80's Brian pushed the envelope with what was accepted regarding the vegetable/clothing interface. Radical designs, such as the cucumber necklace were introduced.
Gosh darn it Gary! I just turned off the comment moderation feature for the blog. Now don't make me turn it back on again!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link, though I must respectfully decline to pass on the meme. I'm catching up here, enjoying the eclecticism, even though I keep tripping over the math. I'm an innumerate lover of science, which makes me pretty darned pathetic.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about numbers and science. Geologists, like myself, tend to be squishy with numbers. Such as, "That rock formation is between 20 and 40 millions years old." And before every geophysicist or geochemist hoots and hollers about their statics or numerical analysis, I'm with you too. I spent a few years on a paleomag thesis that had more number crunching than my liking. I also spent a summer involved in lab work for radiometric dating with zircon samples. I'm not knocking the use of math (or even that certain aspects of math are beautiful). It is just that by far, the best thing about geology to me is standing in the field, mapping rocks, looking at gorgeous vistas, figuring out complex histories in the fold, faults, and bedding... I'd rather crunch rocks on an outcrop with my hammer than crunch numbers on a computer in a lab. That's all. Now back away... slowly. Hey! You over there! Put down that pitch fork and torch! Easy now...
ReplyDeleteAlways fun to find a fellow Washingtonian! Your novel sounds interesting - historical fiction sure does take a lot of work. Thanks for your interest in my blog - I'll be sure to keep an eye on yours.
ReplyDelete