Third of four
Jan. 5th, 2003 08:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jay51. In the early 90s, I designed a monitoring and diagnostic component for the SETI Control System. The project engineer, Bud Hill, thought that this was nonsense and opposed me at every opportunity. The principal investigator, Jill Tarter (who does not look like Jodie Foster, but is brighter) supported me. The SETI trailer was deployed to Arecibo observatory in the autumn of 1992 in preparation for the commencement of its targeted search on Columbus's 500th anniversary. Two weeks beforehand at 2am, my software and sensors detected an incipient rack fire, which was extinguished before the trailer went up in flames. Bud never said anything more about my diagnostics. Bolstered by field success and by cuts in government support, SETI then went private.
52. If I have a crush on someone, I won't tell them... based on the lottery-ticket principle. As long as I don't know the results, I can enjoy imagining what I'd do if I won... I have crushes now, but never mind...
53. I have had about five sexual partners and seven romantic relationships (for some value of "sexual" and "romantic") in my life. I begin to get a bit intimidated around people whose past experience exceeds 3x these numbers...
54. I have also graduated from SF Sex Information's 67-hour switchboard-volunteer training in human sexuality. This is more sex-ed training than most medical students get. I still donate to SFSI and go to some events.
55. My GRE scores were 780 math, 740 verbal and 800 analytical. I tend to do well on standardized tests.
56. I have been to Russia (St. Petersburg), France, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany (both halves), Australia (NSW, ACT) and New Zealand (North Island).
57. Blind curves, maniacal drivers, no freeways, distracting scenery, sheep trucks. Driving in New Zealand is more stressful in my opinion than rush-hour inside the Peripherique in Paris, which itself reminds me of a video game...
58. Bruges is my favorite European tourist destination (nods to Dorothy Dunnett and Rick Steves).
59. In grammar school, groups of boys would abuse me - sometimes taunting, sometimes physically beating and kicking me in a circle. My mother told me that it was un-Christian to fight back or otherwise resort to violence. I think that my father was embarrassed that his oldest son was a victim and a loser and didn't know what to say at that point. Girls at school weren't my friends, but at least they left me alone.
60. To this day, 80% of my friends are women, nearly all of my closest friends. I still have to work hard to trust males, no matter how well-intentioned they may be.
61. I enjoy ballroom dancing, beginning with classes at MIT. My first overtly poly (after I had a name for it) sweetie and I began as semi-monthly dance partners.
62. I'm a third-generation Atlanta native, and wish I retained more of a Southern accent.
63. I know a couple of astronauts IRL. I apply every two years myself, but have only gotten as far as having my references checked and a medical exam. Realistically, the next selection cycle is my last shot.
64. I want to get an initial scuba certificate.
65. To me, at first glance tattoos and piercings are processed as "injury or disfigurement" (like a twig protruding from the cheek of an accident victim, or Gorbachev's forehead birthmark) and I unconsciously avert my gaze.
66. Dressing-up is occasionally fun... I own my own tuxedo, but in casual California there are too few opportunities to wear it.
67. Word games and bantering with my kids are things I greatly enjoy. James can now hold his own, and out-pun many adults...
68. Camping and hiking are lots of fun, among the reasons why I enjoy field geology work.
69. College stops were a bachelor's at MIT in aerospace, then an MS at Georgia Tech in structural dynamics (vibrating structures, like wings or rotors), then my Ph.D in robotics. After moving out to California, I went back to Stanford to pick up another MS in geophysics, mostly for fun.
70. Except that my geophysics and geology background has led me into things like impact crater studies and drilling automation.
71. Rather than glasses, I tend to wear contact lenses (being a bit nearsighted, about 20/50).
72. I'm a natural redhead. Some parts still are.
73. In 1992-93, I spent 15 months in Washington on loan to NASA Headquarters trying to get laptops and wireless networks on board the Space Station. This meant I got to see the inauguration of the Clinton administration. I used to have a beautiful window office, on the fifth floor looking out over the National Air and Space Museum and the Mall.
74. There's a scar on my left forehead, from playing tackle football without a helmet.
75. I like to look at future technologies in the workplace, or create them... but I have little affection for consumer gadgets. Wireless RF networks for field exploration - sure - but I didn't get a cellphone until two months ago. TV could disappear and I wouldn't miss it. I use a paper organizer still, not a Palm Pilot. Our family VCR and CD players were gifts from my parents, or we'd never have gotten either.
52. If I have a crush on someone, I won't tell them... based on the lottery-ticket principle. As long as I don't know the results, I can enjoy imagining what I'd do if I won... I have crushes now, but never mind...
53. I have had about five sexual partners and seven romantic relationships (for some value of "sexual" and "romantic") in my life. I begin to get a bit intimidated around people whose past experience exceeds 3x these numbers...
54. I have also graduated from SF Sex Information's 67-hour switchboard-volunteer training in human sexuality. This is more sex-ed training than most medical students get. I still donate to SFSI and go to some events.
55. My GRE scores were 780 math, 740 verbal and 800 analytical. I tend to do well on standardized tests.
56. I have been to Russia (St. Petersburg), France, Canada, Mexico, the Bahamas, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany (both halves), Australia (NSW, ACT) and New Zealand (North Island).
57. Blind curves, maniacal drivers, no freeways, distracting scenery, sheep trucks. Driving in New Zealand is more stressful in my opinion than rush-hour inside the Peripherique in Paris, which itself reminds me of a video game...
58. Bruges is my favorite European tourist destination (nods to Dorothy Dunnett and Rick Steves).
59. In grammar school, groups of boys would abuse me - sometimes taunting, sometimes physically beating and kicking me in a circle. My mother told me that it was un-Christian to fight back or otherwise resort to violence. I think that my father was embarrassed that his oldest son was a victim and a loser and didn't know what to say at that point. Girls at school weren't my friends, but at least they left me alone.
60. To this day, 80% of my friends are women, nearly all of my closest friends. I still have to work hard to trust males, no matter how well-intentioned they may be.
61. I enjoy ballroom dancing, beginning with classes at MIT. My first overtly poly (after I had a name for it) sweetie and I began as semi-monthly dance partners.
62. I'm a third-generation Atlanta native, and wish I retained more of a Southern accent.
63. I know a couple of astronauts IRL. I apply every two years myself, but have only gotten as far as having my references checked and a medical exam. Realistically, the next selection cycle is my last shot.
64. I want to get an initial scuba certificate.
65. To me, at first glance tattoos and piercings are processed as "injury or disfigurement" (like a twig protruding from the cheek of an accident victim, or Gorbachev's forehead birthmark) and I unconsciously avert my gaze.
66. Dressing-up is occasionally fun... I own my own tuxedo, but in casual California there are too few opportunities to wear it.
67. Word games and bantering with my kids are things I greatly enjoy. James can now hold his own, and out-pun many adults...
68. Camping and hiking are lots of fun, among the reasons why I enjoy field geology work.
69. College stops were a bachelor's at MIT in aerospace, then an MS at Georgia Tech in structural dynamics (vibrating structures, like wings or rotors), then my Ph.D in robotics. After moving out to California, I went back to Stanford to pick up another MS in geophysics, mostly for fun.
70. Except that my geophysics and geology background has led me into things like impact crater studies and drilling automation.
71. Rather than glasses, I tend to wear contact lenses (being a bit nearsighted, about 20/50).
72. I'm a natural redhead. Some parts still are.
73. In 1992-93, I spent 15 months in Washington on loan to NASA Headquarters trying to get laptops and wireless networks on board the Space Station. This meant I got to see the inauguration of the Clinton administration. I used to have a beautiful window office, on the fifth floor looking out over the National Air and Space Museum and the Mall.
74. There's a scar on my left forehead, from playing tackle football without a helmet.
75. I like to look at future technologies in the workplace, or create them... but I have little affection for consumer gadgets. Wireless RF networks for field exploration - sure - but I didn't get a cellphone until two months ago. TV could disappear and I wouldn't miss it. I use a paper organizer still, not a Palm Pilot. Our family VCR and CD players were gifts from my parents, or we'd never have gotten either.
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no subject
Date: 2003-01-06 07:29 am (UTC)63. Good luck in the next selection process, then. In Canada, we've only had two applicant calls. I was too young the first time around. I applied the last time, and didn't make it past the paper cut. (Second paper cut, I think.) I probably won't apply next time, but I think one of my siblings will.
52. Oh, I know what you mean. I vary rarely tell my crush objects, even though in general I've had pretty good experiences with people who turn me down becoming better friends. I'd rather not know the cat is dead. Which is why I flirt more than I geek-flirt, I guess.
no subject
Date: 2003-01-10 06:10 pm (UTC)Actually, I type with just my right index finger, looking at the keys. Doing this LJ comment will take me about 10-15 minutes, for example. The list-of-100 took seven hours, over three days.
I've considered voice-recognition software, but they aren't out yet for Macs, and I won't use a Windows machine. So I type...
no subject
Date: 2003-01-06 08:15 am (UTC)I'm glad that's not universally true. ;)
no subject
Date: 2003-01-10 06:09 pm (UTC)