Thinking Time 2.

What is your worst fear; something you cannot touch?

My single fear, which then becomes the worst by default, is alligators. I also lump in crocodiles, but I consider them the same organism all though their species have slight variances.
I am of the school of thought that there is nothing that I can not over come in life, and to date, that hasn't been tested.
However, when I was young, my grandfather used to pelt alligators with golf balls while I would be in the cart. They would then chase us as he sped away, chuckling deeply.
Following those Florida trips, my sleep would be plagued with visions of the slimy beasts sliding out of the murky water and chomping my legs like a plate full of Billy Jo's 25 cent wings.
In conclusion, I have decided that one day I will be faced with my ultimate fear in the most dire of circumstances. This is where I will not prevail. I guess you could say I feel a little like Captain Hook at Skull Rock, running on water, trying not to get bit.

What makes you truly happy? (Something that involves no one else.)

Here are several things that make me happy: Natural wonders, Biology, Chemistry, field studies, butterfly nets, water samples, bugs in containers (or under microscopes), communicating through writing, watching the Boston Red Sox, the level of light in my basement, waking up in the morning and knowing that my entire wardrobe is clean, Starbucks Double Shots on the Interstates, a clean truck, small-town dirt-track auto racing, cheap chicken wing specials, photoshop, coffee, spinning vinyls, wolves, getting exercise, longboarding, classifying plants as I drive, high school football of Friday nights, whiskey with apple juice, flannel, strapping on a good pair of work boots, tramping through wilderness, completing tasks, avoiding procrastination, solving equations, petting dogs, and reading the weekly Agriculture Status Reports (http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/press/cropAndWeather.asp).

How do you cure your loneliness?

I sink into my dark basement and stretch phone lines. In addition, I read, fish, or sleep until the loneliness dissipates.

What is the most tiring book you've ever read, but finished?

I have never read anything that I didn't walk away from more enlightened, therefore there has never been a book that was an unworthy read. The Life of Pi dragged substantially through particular parts, but was well worth the perseverance once I reached the end.

What are five things you want to do before your time here is done?

1. Impact the world through biological study.
2. Get married and start a family.
3. Leave my mark on the next generation.
4. Discover something. A trend, a species, an invasive plant, it really doesn't matter.
5. Build a tree house.

Tell us some things about your best friend.

She really is an incredible girl. We talk throughout the day, each and every day. Like the old song goes: "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone." She is gone a lot lately, a couple hundred miles or so away, but I have never felt so close to someone so far away. Sometimes she worries a lot, wonders a lot, apologizes a lot, but it is always with the best intention.
The first time we ever hung out we baked cookies, and when she left, my mom said: "she seems like a keeper." My mom was right.
We have established a list of 101 dates that we are trying to accomplish and that has led us to a botanical center, an art museum, in search of puzzles, and on many other incredible adventures.
She is really something else, and if you haven't met her (and you are a girl), I would highly recommend it (and if you're a boy, I've got your knuckle-sandwich with extra mustard).

We've all be jealous of our best friend. Why?

I am jealous of her organizational skills, financial savvy, and monkeyish tendencies. She helps in with all of them though, so I am content to let her wear the pants and make the important decisions.

Do you have a dream job?

In the ideal world, which this isn't (but we can pretend I suppose), after completing my schooling in Bio-Chemistry I would find a couple jobs to occupy my time. During nine months of the year I would like to teach (high school or college depending on Doctorate status) biology. I feel I could really recruit more young students into the field of biology by showing them how much it really affects the world. In the summer I would like to be a field researcher and travel the world while learning about different environments.
I am on my way. I hope.

Have you ever thought about why your favorite color is your favorite color?

Green. It started with Kermit t. Frog I suppose and grew from there. I was always more of a Muppets person. Green is life in the natural world, and the vibrant qualities it embodies go well with both my skin tone and eye color.

Describe your favorite outfit.

Currently: Light wash jeans (the really comfortable, kinda loose ones), fresh from the package white v-neck t-shirt, that really comfortable and worn BR polo with the tiny green and red horizontal stripes, and my newest cardigan that is the most splendid color of green (the same green as the tiny stripes on the polo). I would also through in a watch, not too flashy, but I feel naked otherwise, and my favorite pair of loafers (without socks, of course). Oh, and boxer briefs. That is just how I get down.



It's 9 a.m. are you still sleeping? If not, what are you doing?

Never, by nine, I am usually several hours into my day.
On day's like today, I will be transitioning into the shower around nine following some parent hang time, Mike and Mike in the Morning, coffee, homework, internet correspondence, making the bed, petting the dog, and gathering things for school.
On other days, I am already gone by now. I get up at 6. On the dot. Every day. No exceptions really. It is so built in at this point in time that my body refuses to sleep longer.

Describe three of your most attractive qualities. (Not physical.)

1. I have a self-confidence that makes me believe I can conquer anything placed in front of me.
2. I am very socially adjusted, I can make anyone feel comfortable (or uncomfortable) whenever I choose.
3. I have a broad array of knowledge pertaining to many diverse subjects. This makes conversations with strangers easy.

Which was easier?

The first. None of them were hard.

Is today going to be a good day?

Most defiantly! My baby is coming home! Chemistry! Biology! McLane's Composition! Cleaning my car! There are the general components for a good day present.