Jeff tagged me with a meme a week ago to write five things about me that no one who reads this blog would know about. That’s a tough assignment because I’ve written about most aspects of my life.
1. I started college in 1971 but due to military service, illness and procrastination I didn’t finish until 1988. I actually attended five different undergraduate programs and finally graduated with both an Associate and Baccalaureate degree from Regents College now known as Excelsior College.
2. I began my collegiate career as an anthropology major. I wanted to be an archaeologist. I’ve been intensely interested in American history ever since I was a young boy. I am a certified elementary and secondary social studies teacher.
3. I had a great deal of trouble with mathematics throughout my education. I had a learned helplessness with mathematics. I finally discovered as a graduate student that my problem was due to an inability to picture mathematics. I’m a very graphical learner. I’ve learned over time that I’m very good with numbers and patterns of numbers. I really like statistics and probability and I’m gifted with computers and technology related items.
4. I have a Master of Arts in Educational Psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. My thesis is published and deals with the impact of Cognitive Flexibility theory on the social studies achievement of fourth grade students.
5. I bat left handed, golf right handed. I didn’t start running until I was 49 years old. I learned to fly airplanes when I was 44 years old. I once was so afraid to fly that I didn’t fly for over 13 years.
hi Don,
who knows how I ended up in your blog, but I’m glad I did it!
I’m a young OFM in Frascati near Rome (ITALY) and happy to know there are professed secular franciscans with you spirit and very active life!
take care of you
Pace e Bene
br.federico
Hi Don,
Interesting responses, and I can relate to quite a few of them. When I was in High School I was fascinated by anthropology and archaeology, but was steered away from it at home because it wasn’t “practical”. But you know, you can only sublimate the things you are interested in for so long. They always find some way to come out.
I always struggled with mathematics my whole life, but I think I’m like you in that a graphical respresentation helps. I did well in geometry and probability and statistics because I could see what was being talked about. In algebra and calculus I was hopeless. Like you, I am also in information technology, although I doubt my aptitude is as natural as yours.
Good for you for conquering your fear of flying. I’m way to chicken to try. 🙂