Where to begin? I'm 50, single, have worked full time for the state of Iowa for the last 20 years, currently I'm a Design Technician using Microstation CADD. I attend Iowa State University part time, majoring in Biology, and plan on eventually getting my Bachelor's, and also go on for my Master's at the same time. There are three areas of Biology I like the most: Environmental, evolution, and ethics. My degree will most likely be in the Environmental area. When retirement comes, hopefully early, I plan on touring the country in a motor home, taking photos, and posting them to this website.
I've had numerous cool jobs. My first was delivering the newspaper, not that cool, but it paid for my first short wave radio. A short wave radio was like a one-way internet from around the world thinking back on it. I could listen to foreign broadcasts from around the world and be amazed at the diversity of life around the globe. Now, I have this website and communication with the world again, but this time two-way, with images! After that, I started work at an ice cream store called Baskin-Robbins. I think I tried every flavor there was, and my favorites are still Rocky Road, Chocolate Chip, Butter Brickle, French Vanilla and Pralines & Cream. Still working with food after that, I worked for the A & P Tea Company, A & P for short, a grocery store company. Stocked shelves, hand marked everything with a price stamper, ran a register, carry out, etc. I did most everything except produce and fresh meat. This was followed by a short stint driving school buses. That was an experience I won't repeat. Other peoples' kids can be unruly. Retail came to the rescue again, this time working for K-Mart, in its more profitable days, that is. I was doing it all there it seemed, too, eventually becoming the manager of the Home Appliance department. Which in turn led into Security Assistant Manager. Yes, I was one of those floor-walkers who nabbed people for shoplifting. But, there is a lot more to the job than just that. Most of it entailed internal security and paperwork safety and security checks. At the same time, I got a part time night job as a security officer. Rent-A-Cop, actually. Interesting work, learned a lot, met the seedier sides of life, but I'll never go back to it (the job!). I even rode with the local real police from time to time as an 'Observer', as they called it, which was quite an experience for the lay person. When I gave the part time job up, I got another part time one working for a local high-end audio store, selling expensive stereo equipment. This was before CD's (but by only a few years before they came out!) and when turntables were still popular. Yes, I actually know how to correctly set up a turntable and cartridge combination. The highlight of that career was selling a $10,000 system. It doesn't take much equipment to get to that price, just a few expensive components will do. The other highlight was meeting Paul Klipsch, of the Klipsch loudspeaker fame. I visited many CES shows for many years to see all the new products after that.
The first time I was in college I took math and psychology courses. I was also a photographer and later photo editor of Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, IA. In addition to this, I was the second radio disc jockey to go on the air in their brand new, 10 watt FM station. KCCK-FM 90.5 if I remember the old frequency, but now 88.3 FM because 90.5 interfered with the local airport. Imagine that.
When the economy went down the tubes in the 80's, I went back to college, and decided to study biology. Then, when the economy was still slipping down that slope, I went to Ames looking for work, and ended up getting a job with the state as a Mail Clerk. It wasn't fantastic, but it at least got me in the door. Six years later, I got a job within the same Department as a Design Technician, which I am still doing and thoroughly enjoy. I get to work using a computer, and between that, and the computers I've had at home, I've learned quite a bit about them. During that time, I got a part-time job in a local bar as bartender, bouncer, door man etc. Afterwards, when that was over I decided to go back to college, part time. I earned my Associate of Science degree in 1999, and have been working on my Bachelors part time since then. I'm not in any real hurry either. In the Spring semester of 2002, I finally made the Senior class, up from entering ISU as a Junior. Seems like I'm either working part time or going to class part time while working full time.
I have a few hobbies and interests. Photography is of course one of them, this website is a result of that. Computers are another. I can't really say Photoshop is a 'hobby' per se. For me, it is a tool to improve the photos I take, or create new ones from many, or as an artistic outlet because I can't draw a straight line to save my life. Cats aren't a hobby, but they are an interest. I have four, and always looking to adopt that next feline family member. I also read a lot. I subscribe to a plethora of magazines. I love to read. There's not a so-called men's magazine among them, just in case you're wondering. The topics they cover range from woodworking, nature, science, photography, computers, American history, audio/video and philosophy. My idea of leisure reading is a book on Evolutionary Analysis, which by the way, is an actual title I recently bought. I seem to go to movies a lot for the make-believe fictional side of me. Woodworking is another hobby. I like to build cabinet style projects. The latest one is an upright stereo console cabinet, with self-contained speakers I built for my mom, and a pair of three-way 12" speaker cabinets for my home stereo. I've built other speaker box pairs, a few small furniture style cabinets, and am always looking for the next idea to prompt me to build something else. This website is a huge interest of mine. Having it up since 1996, and seeing the home-based websites on Photoshop come and go, makes me feel rather proud I'm still here, running continuously since January of 1996! It's gone through many incarnations, from being a one pager to over 150 pages. Content has come and gone according to my interests and visitors' interests, but for the most part, many of the original sections are still here, are growing, and new sections are being added. This website is something I plan to have as long as I can run a computer and type!
I hope you can visit often, and for a long time to come. I know I'll be around, and there will always be new content uploaded for your enjoyment. Comments are always welcomed!!