What is your first U of A memory?
This is more of an impression. After my job interview, I was standing in the Humanities Centre parking lot with the director of the program I was applying for in the Faculty of Extension. A couple of his friends who had offices on North Campus came by, on bikes, and we had a little parking lot reunion there. The director had to leave, and I stood there with these other two faculty members after he left. One of them turned to the other and commented on how well dressed the director was and how those fellows in the Faculty of Extension must have it pretty good downtown. I think I resolved then and there to take the job. At that time, I couldn't see myself riding a bike to work.
What’s something your coworkers don’t know about you?
When I'm hungry I have, on occasion, pilfered from others' leavings in the fridge. It's disgusting, but there you have it. Once I got caught, it was during COVID-19 and I came in to get some things out of my office. I didn't think anybody was around because of the virus and all. The packing went okay, but when lunchtime came around, I checked out the fridge and found one of those ready-to-heat lunches that somebody had left behind months ago. It looked okay to me, so I popped it into the microwave. While I waited for it to reheat, one of the associate deans came into the lunchroom and we had a little chat about how vacant the office was. As it turned out, he was on duty to keep an eye on the building. “Oh,” I thought. He then looked in the fridge for his lunch and couldn’t find it. "I wonder what happened to my lunch?" he said. “I don't know,” I said, kind of shrugging and smiling. And then … Ding!
What’s your favourite distraction?
Right now, it's Reels on Facebook. I can't help it, but I just have to see who wins the giraffe versus hungry lioness combat. As it turns out, giraffes can be very ferocious! They do it by stepping on the lion. I'll have to stash that technique away. I can sit at my desk for half an hour watching these dangerous, and slightly tasteless, little vignettes about motorcycle races, car crashes, painting techniques, wire-bending magic and kitten rescues. It's a waste of time, but it's so engaging.
If you were enrolling in one course, program or degree right now, what would it be?
I think about this a lot because my research takes me into interesting areas. So I think, ahhh, epidemiology! How did I miss that as an undergraduate? Or I think, if I had majored in sociology I'd know all about statistics and now have to feel guilty about my charts and graphs. Then I think, history, that's the ticket. I could clear half the books off of my desk right now if I knew about history. The thing is, you do the best with what you did originally. So I would be an English major, but I'd be so smart at it because of what I know already.
You can invite anyone — alive or dead, real or fictional — to dinner. Who would it be?
Benjamin Franklin. No doubt about it. I have had countless fictional conversations with the great statesman/scientist over the years. I'm driving around town in my car. Ben sits in the passenger seat and doesn't really say anything. Meanwhile, I explain everything to him: traffic signals, FM radio, homelessness, drive-in movies and air conditioning — just everything. Ben is constantly amazed and bewildered about it and wants to know more. It turns out he is a great listener; who knew?
If you could see any live performance tomorrow, what would it be?
They say that one time Hank Williams performed 11 encores of "Love Sick Blues" at the Grand Ole Opry. It would be really cool to have been there for that. I don't go to live performances like concerts very much, but there are some artists out there who are at the end of the road, so I'd want to catch them: Les Paul, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson. There's a website that shows older musicians.
What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
Do what you can to stop your dad from going to Vietnam.
What’s one thing you can’t live without?
Love.
What three words describe your U of A experience?
Very much like the experience of Texas Tech University, only much colder.
