10 Gees

Magnetbabe has covered the letter B in her latest blog entry. Why? It's another meme, silly! Why else would someone do it? And since it is a meme, it lives to be passed on to other bloggers. I was game and got assigned the letter G. The gist of it is that I should list ten of my favorite things that start with G. Got it? OK. Here goes.

1. Georgia Institute of Technology. This was an easy one. Kind of a softball pitch to get things rolling. Anyone who has spent any time here knows that I like Georgia Tech. Between the two of us, my husband and I have five degrees from Tech. I grew up in a Tech house. It's in my blood. My Dad had three degrees from Tech and worked there as a research scientist for 33 years until his death in 1993. He had football season tickets for most, if not all of that time. He was a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a helluva engineer (and scientist, and administrator). College sports are fun, but I am more proud of Tech's academic reputation. And I put my money where my loyalties are: this will be my 20th consecutive year of giving to support the institute.



2. Geeks. I'm a geek. I'm married to a geek. Many of my friends are geeks. There are all kinds of geeks out there -- science geeks, computer geeks, music geeks, movie geeks, sci-fi geeks. There is nothing wrong with souping up your calculator and proudly displaying that pocket protector. Embrace your inner geek. It's hip to be square.



3. Gatos. Just 'cause my letter is G doesn't mean I won't find a way to work cats into my list. Dogs drool. Cats rule. [Disclaimer - I really like dogs, too. Especially big, goofy, sloppy dogs. Just not quite as much as cats.]



4. Gort. Gort is the robot from the classic 1950s sci-fi movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. He's in my list representing the science fiction genre in general. There is something very powerful and enduring about the older science fiction books and movies. Don't get me wrong. I like a lot of the newer science fiction as well. I grab a lot of books on their first day of publishing. Many of the newer TV series are extremely good (B5, Farscape, Battlestar Galactica, Heroes, Doctor Who), and who can resist the astounding special effects of movies like Independence Day or Men In Black? But there is something about old sci-fi movies and stories that appeals to me. I love the early visions of the future that were created when most of the technology was still just a glimmer in man's imagination. They were so imaginative and interesting. Way off base on some ideas, but eerily prescient on others.



5. Geometry. It may seem like a strange entry into a favorite things list, but geometry was the first math subject that I actually liked. I hated the elementary school math class material - memorizing multiplication tables and doing long division by hand was so mind-numbingly boring. But when junior high rolled around and we got to geometry, I lit up. I loved the logic of it, and enjoyed working out proofs. This new enthusiasm for math carried over into other advanced classes. I loved trigonometry, algebra, and even calculus. It was all so elegant and logical and beautiful. My careers in engineering and physics would not have been possible without a love of mathematics, and I didn't find that until geometry struck my fancy. Geometry is also something that, along with trig, I have consistently used over the years. Both at home and at work, it is handy to know how shapes relate to each other and to be able to calculate arc lengths, volumes, areas and angles.



6. Gardening/Green Thumb. This year hasn't been a good year for it, but normally I spend many of my summer evenings and weekends doing some sort of gardening project. It is a hobby that evolves on a different timescale than most other things in my life. The years I spend in a place are marked by ever-growing flower beds and landscaping. By the time I left my former home in Massachusetts, the yard had been totally transformed into a lush paradise (winter months excepted). I hear from my old neighbor that the flowers I planted still come back every year, better than ever. Gardens are fairly forgiving, and working in them can be a great stress reliever. There is always something that needs doing, but the demands are gentle and not urgent. I enjoy the work (except the part where I get poison ivy and can't sleep because it itches so bad), and love to live with the results. Steadily over the years, I leave my mark on a patch of land by making it just a little bit like an Eden.



7. Galileo. The list wouldn't be complete without a great scientist. Father of astronomy? Father of modern physics? Father of science? He was all of these and more. Galileo pioneered the use of the scientific method - using experiments to prove or disprove a hypothesis. He was the guy who figured out that the earth revolves around the sun. He designed and built the improved telescopes that allowed him to make the accurate observations to prove it. He was persecuted as a heretic for daring to suggest that the earth was not the center of the universe. Galileo was brilliant and had the courage to stand up for his discoveries.



8. Gargoyles. I wish these were still used in architecture. Gargoyles are just cool. Twisted, strange, beautiful. I enjoy seeing them on old buildings, and in homes and gardens. There was (is?) this cool shop on Newbury Street in Boston that sold gargoyles. I always liked walking through it - it was like another world. The interior was moody and gloomy, with dead leaves scattered around as if it were always late October there. It was a bit hard to find, which only added to the mystique.



9. Getaways. It's good to change your horizons, even if it is just for a day or two. PDM and I like to go places off-season. The less crowded it is, the better we like it. Beaches, forests, waterfalls, mountainsides, lakes, caves, rustic cabins, country roads... they all have their place. I hope I can always make time to get away, relax and recharge.



10. Google. Yes, Google's definitely on my list of favorite things. There are other online sites that I rely on for instant info (Wikipedia, IMDB, etc.), but no one place is quite as useful as Google. Maps, images, blogs, news, info, satellite, email... there is a lot to love about Google.



So that's my list. If you'd like to join the fun, and haven't asked Magnetbabe or someone else further up the meme chain for a letter, ask for one in the comments and I will assign you a letter to run with.