My higher education started as a music composition major at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, but I changed to Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas for a degree in horology (Yes, I know the link goes to Wikipedia but the horology entry isn't too bad). The last stop in my formal education was in Denton, Texas, at the University of North Texas. While at UNT, I programmed physiological psychology laboratory equipment with snap lead modules (for those of you born after 1960, snap lead modules are a step below breadboards and ten steps below assembler language). This led to a search for "a better way" and an interest in computing.
While finishing my degree(s) at UNT, I began my professional academic career. Because teaching has been the primary focus of my career, I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to teach a variety of different courses. I've maintained an active interest in research, some of which has been published. At this point in my career, I find that I'm giving more talks that are not descriptions of individual research projects, such as one would give at a professional conference. Along the way, I've been fortunate to receive recognition from students, colleagues, businesses, and community organizations for some of my activities. Now, I've become a cybersaur - an old computing fogy who thinks that just because something is new doesn't automatically mean that it's good.
(1/04) Here is an event that has had a drastic impact on my life and career. On October 2, 2002, I got a headache. It has yet to go away. The headache varies from "good days" (head cold level) to "bad days" (sit and stare at the wall level and wait for the meds to kick in). Normal days are sinus headache level. We haven't been able to find a cause. Naturally, when one goes looking, something gets found. We've found a pineal cyst but that may be coincidental. The headache started suddenly and intensely so an aneurism was the first supposition but an MRA and several MRIs haven't shown anything. After undergoing many (MANY) tests, I started studying pain management. This has helped a great deal. The pain hasn't gone away but now I can deal with it much of the time. I will probably live with the headache for the rest of my life but the pain management (and lots of exercise) has allowed me to return to the activities I truly enjoy - my academic endeavors.
Update (11/05): The headache is still here but I've passed the 3-year time line. Exercise is still the only thing that really helps (other than BIG drugs). The exercise is harder to do today than it was a couple of years ago. Still, the headache is (mostly) manageable and could always be worse.
Update (3/08): Yep,the headache is still around but i think I have a handle on it - mostly. The new excitement is oral cancer. I was diagnosed in June, 2007 and had the first surgery in July, 2007. The second surgery came along in November, 2007. To go along with the cancer, anaphylaxis cropped up the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, 2007. I've made 4 trips to the emergency room - two visits for severe reactions and two visits for full-blown anaphylactic shock. I've also had a number of episodes that have been handled without a visit to the ER. Exercise has become, well, difficult. Still, exercise is what brung me this far so I'll try to dance with it as much as possible.
Update (12/08): Third cancer surgery in August, 2008. That one seems to have taken. There haven't been any signs of leukoplakia returning. We'll see. The allergic-type reactions have continued but seem to under control with daily doses of Zyrtec and Zantac along with liberal sprinklings of Benadryl. Exercise has been cut back quite a bit so the headache has been getting fiesty. I'm still determined to get back into exercise so the new year should be interesting.
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