Get to know your fellow board members....

[unit300021]

What is the best luck you've ever had?

Also I totally agree with you and your stance on the Olympics.

[mountmccabe]

What was your school experience like? Did you attend college/post secondary?

I was pretty focused on school during high school. I took near as many advanced/honors/AP classes as I could. I was in band. I was probably a little oblivious.

Then I went to the University of Arizona. In my first or second semester I took Solid State Chemistry as MSE 110 and so much crystallized for me that I took MSE (Materials Science and Engineering) as a major. I had learned some of this in high school but that was "this happens" and here it was "this happens and here is why, which also explains this other thing." I almost graduated in four years but then dropped my senior design/project classes and had to wait a year. My fifth year I took just those one credit classes and worked.

I lived in a small honors dorm on campus my first two years and there was a lot of culture shock. Phoenix is not a small city but I still grew up rather isolated. I made a lot of friends in that dorm and still keep in touch with some of them. We had our own 10-year reunion of sorts a few years ago, renting a house in Tucson for the weekend. I played various intramural sports and eventually played for the club Ultimate Frisbee team, travelling to several tournaments throughout Arizona and California. I was also involved in a campus Christian group my first couple years there - which was also somewhat of a culture shock - until I stopped believing and then most of those people didn't want anything to do with me.

Earlier questions reference a movie you acted in. What was it? Do you currently act for a living?

It was Method, a recent satirical short film directed by Somewhat Damaged. I think a YouTube was posted in the movie corner. I was a production assistant and ended up playing a small on-screen role.

I have never acted or done anything related professionally though on my YouTube account one can see a short film from when I was 7 written, starring and directed by my older sister and another one I wrote for one of my MSE classes directed by a friend who was in the film department and thus had access to a Super VHS camera and editing equipment

I am a chemist now.

[mountmccabe]

John, who on this page annoys you the most?

I don't know. I don't have anybody on that page on ignore, which is saying something.

Amy, I guess, though even she generally doesn't annoy me. Though I wouldn't be surprised if H_is_O could take the crown if I knew them better.

[TomAz]

I took Solid State Chemistry as MSE 110 and so much crystallized for me ..

so to speak.

[Somewhat Damaged]

Who is your favorite U of A basketball player of all time?

Did you attend the U of A on a scholarship?

How the hell do you afford to live in New York?

If you're still puzzling over how to distinguish "memorable" from "best" or "favorite," I lump all 3 designations together.

[mountmccabe]

What is the grossest piece of food you've ever found lodged in your mouth for a considerable amount of time after you had originally ingested said piece of food?

All of them are tied.

[ENluv12]

Yay for another U of A grad That leaves a whole mess of questions for me...

What is your favorite place to eat in Tucson, and what was the name of your dorm?

Do you have a favorite part of campus?

[guedita]

List the places on campus that you've left your mark, so to speak.

[EastLos01]

Why do you think its ok to show killings on TV but not a nipple or allow cussing?

[TomAz]

John, since my musical instrument question seems to have thrown you for a loop, I'll stick to more fundamental topics. How did you meet Tiffany?

[mountmccabe]

John, have you ever woken up naked and you didn't remember why? Tell us where the memory ends and the blackout begins.

Nope! I don't really have any real blackout stories.

[amyzzz]

John, did you go through a crazy rebellious phase after losing your Christian faith? Drinking, drugging, whoring it up?

[mountmccabe]

If you're still puzzling over how to distinguish "memorable" from "best" or "favorite," I lump all 3 designations together.

OK, then the list I am going to go with is this, chronologically

Spiritualized at Cane's, San Diego, April 6, 2002 - first time seeing my favorite band, was blown away by "Take Your Time"
Sigur Rós at the Joint, Las Vegas, April 5, 2003 - they were beautiful and haunting and wonderful and then they closed with Popplagið which just kept getting bigger and louder as they destroyed their guitar bows
Gillian Welch at Coachella, April 27, 2007 - first time seeing her, couldn't take my eyes off David Rawlings and his shimmying
No Age + Bob Mould at ATP, September 13, 2009 - they switched off between Hüsker Dü and No Age songs. Everybody on stage was just beaming. Watching Bob watch Randy for changes during the No Age songs was surreal.
Superchunk at Matador at 21, Las Vegas, October 2, 2010 - and there was so much jumping

[mountmccabe]

What is the best luck you've ever had?

Also I totally agree with you and your stance on the Olympics.

Cool.

Not sure what to call luck but maybe that my now-fiancée's cranky old cat Pigeon liked me from the start. Tiffany had been telling me about how finicky this cat was, that she never liked anybody and then when we got to her place and I sat on the couch and Pigeon jumped right on my lap and started purring.

[mountmccabe]

Who is your favorite U of A basketball player of all time?

Maybe Michael Dickerson? Channing Frye was good to watch, too. I liked that Mike Bibby followed me to U of A from my high school and he was amazing to watch at both levels plus the pros, too.

Did you attend the U of A on a scholarship?

Yes, I had scholarships. I want to say tuition was paid for for the first year.


I'll answer your other question after dinner.

[mountmccabe]

How the hell do you afford to live in New York?

I make more than I did in Phoenix, wages are generally higher here. I share a small one bedroom apartment with Tiffany who also has a good job. We have internet and Netflix but not cable TV. We try to cook at home and bring lunches to work as much as possible.

I spend less on transportation. If I still lived in Phoenix I would have bought another (used) car by now so I would have had that car payment plus gas, insurance and maintenance. Here I have a bus pass subsidized by my work and otherwise I get around by walking or the subway which is also cheap. Then there's the occasional cab (which I avoid when possible) around the city or a train or bus ticket out of town... which is still not much more than gas would be.

I go to way fewer shows than I once did; I have tickets for 3 concerts for the rest of the year. There are also a lot of free shows in the summer, that's how I just saw Superchunk, that's how I plan to see Mission of Burma and Wild Flag on Friday. And just look at all the operas I am not buying tickets for. I mean, seriously, I am the model of restraint. Most of the operas and Broadway shows I've been to have been via lottery, rush or otherwise seriously discounted.

If I had a bunch more money it would be very easy to spend it though.

[zimmy1222]

hi John, enjoying your answers so far.

has there been a specific incident in your life where you felt that you were exceptionally inventive? please share.

worst farm chore?

and, favorite chemical compound?

oh, and how about favorite visual artist? care to dig up an example or two?

[mountmccabe]

Yay for another U of A grad That leaves a whole mess of questions for me...

What is your favorite place to eat in Tucson, and what was the name of your dorm?

Do you have a favorite part of campus?

Birrieria Guadalajara. Their carne asada burritos were amazing, especially with their delicious on their own refried beans mixed in.

Second would be Taqueria Pico De Gallo, the best fish tacos (or lengua, or manta ray, etc) I've had outside of Mazatlan.

I lived in Yuma, room 306 both years.

I don't know that I had a favorite part of campus, maybe the grass fields on Campbell Ave just South of University Dr? I also really liked the underpasses that let you cross Speedway; the Olive one was the path to the 7-11, the Highland one went to my friend's dorm.

[Mugwog]

How would you describe the taste and texture of manta ray in your meal?

[full on idle]

Hi John,
I just want to say that it makes me happy that you mention the Gillian set in your favorite memories because it takes me back to standing there with you and TomAz and that's quite a mindshaker. You're a boss dude. Looking forward to October!

Have you expressed your rejection of religion to your family? Do you have any advice for a fellow Michigoose(gander) with regard to tact and appropriateness?

Who are you hoping to draft in fantasy football this season and why?

Are you going directly on a honeymoon after your wedding? Or will you be able to go to the tMG show?

Will Tiffany take your last name or are you guys doing a hyphenate?

xo - V

[buddy]

Hi FOI

John,

Best piece of advice you've received, or read, and why it impacted you or still does?

What was the first song, and album you can recall hearing and having a big impact on you? Describe why they did.

If you could bring back one deceased musician who would it be?

[getbetter]

What is the worse concert experience you have ever had?

[mountmccabe]

Why do you think its ok to show killings on TV but not a nipple or allow cussing?

War is more of a public thing than sex. War happens in organized groups with Army buddies and such. Small private murders are just part of the package. Most sex happens privately and either alone or in pairs. Large orgies are not common enough to have to be on TV.

Vulgarity - at least in English - is mostly about class and racism. Piss, shit, fuck, etc are the Germanic words from the lower class Anglo-Saxons. Urinate, defecate and fornicate are Latin-derived words like the French-speaking Norman conquerors. The latter are proper, the former are rude.

Another thing is that tension is very important to comedy (and drama) and a writer can build a sort of tension by dancing around the forbidden. Say something that makes the viewer think vulgar words and they will want to laugh to break that tension.

[mountmccabe]

John, since my musical instrument question seems to have thrown you for a loop, I'll stick to more fundamental topics. How did you meet Tiffany?

I was in New Jersey for my brother's wedding on Friday July 3rd. I didn't fly home until the 5th so I went into NYC for the 4th; I had never been. The other message board I sometimes post on has a large NYC contingent so I posted over there and got invited to a backyard (of sorts) BBQ in Brooklyn. I showed up with a bottle of Bourbon, holding it as some sort of shield. I hadn't met anyone there in person before but I knew a number of the people from the message board. Tiffany was there as she was friends with everybody even though she was a lurker on the board. We ate a lot of food and drank Bourbon and eventually went to the roof of someone's work to watch fireworks.

[mountmccabe]

John, did you go through a crazy rebellious phase after losing your Christian faith? Drinking, drugging, whoring it up?

It was far more sad and confused than crazy and rebellious. I drank but not so much of the others.

[chairmenmeow47]

yay, john!

so since you're already a mad scientist, what will be the experiment or invention that brings on your ultimate demise? how will you blow apart ethical and scientific conventions with your madness?

[Somewhat Damaged]

Which country do you think is most disproportionately proud compared to its accomplishments?

Have you ever been mistaken for Paul Krugman?

If you were to be a guest on a talk show, whose talk show would you want to be a guest on and what would you want to discuss?

If you had the resources to purchase any business, what kind of business would it be and what would you name it?

[mountmccabe]

hi John, enjoying your answers so far.

Thanks.

has there been a specific incident in your life where you felt that you were exceptionally inventive? please share.

My third year at U of A I took a class in Materials Characterization where we learned about (sub) microscopic evaluation using SEM, TEM, etc. The class started with in class background descriptions, then we actually went and saw the equipment. The final part was that we then gave group presentations to the class over the same material. I was bored with having to do it all again and I really didn't want to stand in front of the class and lecture with slides for the overhead projector which is what every other group had always done (actually my year one other group somehow hooked up a computer to a projector to show Power Point slides, tech is crazy, I tell ya).

I wrote an existentialist play and we performed it in class. We actually did things as a group and still managed to present the information. The other people in my group (we each had to lead one section) mostly did other non-traditional presentations too. Our teacher LOVED it. So much that when she taught class again the following year she kept talking up our presentations... and much of that class followed suit.

worst farm chore?

I have never lived on a farm. I lived in a rural area on just a acre and we had only had chickens, ducks, goats and a sheep (though not all at the same time). Mowing an acre of grass with a push gas mower was a pain but it was a big enough chore that everybody helped. Or maybe plucking chickens after we cut off their heads?

and, favorite chemical compound?

Maitotoxin. I respect something that could kill me with 11 mcg.

oh, and how about favorite visual artist? care to dig up an example or two?

I will say Gary Ernest Smith.

Serene is a favorite and hangs in the Phoenix Art Museum

119367.jpg

I also like Umbrella Barn and (see next post)

[mountmccabe]

Red Barn and Corn Stubble is my favorite of his pieces that hang at Overland Gallery in Scottsdale.

[TomAz]

Red Barn and Corn Stubble is my favorite of his pieces that hang at Overland Gallery in Scottsdale.

That is amazing.