FRIDAY, DEC 6, 2002

Clear something up for our readership. How do you pronounce The Booge? What is it?
The Booge is pronounced büj as outlined in the Miriam Webster pronunciation guide. Essentially it is "boo" as in "boo" and "ge" as in "job" or "jar". Does that help? Probably not…

What is it? It is my cat. The one lurking at the top of my site. The one making an appearance on every one of my redesigns. And it is The Booge. Always in capitals.

Fatherhood seems to suit you very well. What advice would you offer to those that will some day become parents?
Bottom line: children are little people. They deserve all of the respect that any other person deserves. With that in mind, stop and think about your expectations of these little people, taking into account their age, maturity level, skills, likes and dislikes. Children are not little automatons that should perform at will, stop what they are doing at your command and eat everything you give them. Children are constantly experiencing new things, trying to figure out how the world works, and doing their best to learn and function in their surroundings. At the same time, respect is a two-way street. Children need to learn to respect the people around them. Realistic rules and expectations from both parties makes for happy families.

And have fun. Lots of it. Kids grow up fast.

You're a scientist working in Industry. Do you have anything to say to the snobs who may look down their noses from the towers of Academe?
Actually, I work for the Federal Government, which makes it even worse. To those folks who look down their noses at the work we do, I say this: Bite me. Get down on your hands and knees and bite me right on my ass. The level of professionalism where I work would be difficult if not impossible to find in almost any sector of the business world, scientific or otherwise. I work with people who take their jobs very seriously but with a lighthearted touch. The work we do is top notch. Sadly, government science does not get a lot of media attention. Plus, as a Federal employee, you get lumped in with all of the slacker civil servants that exist.

As a man of science, do you find that what you know influences your belief in religion?
I like facts. I like data. I like proof. I don't have a lot of room for faith. If you see God in a sunrise, a flower or a child's smile, that is fine for you. For me, I simply see light, plants and facial movements. I am more pragmatic when it comes to the ideas of life and death and what awaits us in the great beyond. I believe in my heart that I am in control of my own destiny and not under the watchful eye of a benevolent creator. However, I also believe that religion is a good thing. It gives people the will to survive and the tools to live a decent, moral life. But it simply doesn't ring true for me. Personally, I like the concepts of Buddhism, but lack the discipline to practice it on a daily basis. I like to stop and appreciate sunrises, flowers and smiling children and am happy I have being given the opportunity to experience these things during my lifetime. I think the best way to live your life is not to cling to anything too tightly, but to be open and receptive to everything. You dig?

You, my friend, are a bonafide Zappa freak. Give us the skinny on your first Zappa experience and how it all got started.

I blame the now-defunct BMG Music Club. One of those "78 CDs for a penny" deals. One of my chosen freebies included Strictly Commercial which is a collection of Frank's most commercial hits (toe tapping melody, sophomoric lyrics, minimal guitar solos, low levels of profanity). Like everyone else, I thought the lyrics were funny. But after listening to it a few times, I started to recognize the complexities of the music underneath. I don't profess to know anything about music theory, but if you ignore the lyrics and focus on the music that is being played, you can't help being impressed by how difficult it must be to execute. The most interesting feature, however, is that even though it is impossibly complex, it all comes together to make a song that you can hum along with.

My affinity to Frank is difficult to explain. Zappa fans are a special bunch. They are people interested in every nuance of every note. They are fans concerned with the discrepancies between recordings and band lineups. They recognize the vision that Frank had from his early childhood and pay homage to his strivings towards becoming a composer in a time of disposable, three-minute pop songs.

That being said, I am not a member of any fan club, don't have his posters on my walls and try not to inflict his music on others. Music is a personal choice. I have chosen to focus on Frank.

You wear black T-shirts, jeans, and boots most days of the week. Why that particular combination? What would your colleagues think if you showed up for work in, say, a smart vest, a derby, and a monocle?
Why the particular combination? The shirts. My Mom used to be able to get black t-shirts for $3 each at Tiger Brand (a company in my hometown that makes textiles) and now I have a pile of them. The pants. The jeans are a hold-over from high school. I have been wearing the same Levis 501 button-fly jeans for over 15 years (the same style - not the same pants). The boots. Doc Martens last a long time. I wore the last pair almost 365 days a year and they lasted almost 5 years.

I think the wardrobe is simply one of convenience. I don't like to think about what I wear, so I wear the same thing all of the time. I don't like to think about how my hair looks, so I keep it short. As long as I am showered and my teeth are brushed, my outward appearance isn't that important to me. And hell, since Lorrie and Ben are still sleeping when I leave for work at 5:30 - 6:00 am, I am usually getting dressed in the dark.

If I showed up for work in a smart vest, a derby and a monocle? I have a feeling that half of the people would roll their eyes and go about their business. The other half probably wouldn't notice. Scientists are a very focused bunch.

You're a very tech savvy guy, despite your denials, so maybe you can help me out here. I see a lot of people offering RSS on their sites for syndication. Who's actually syndicating blogs? It seems to me that lots of folks are offering RSS, but no one's buying. You see, I'd love to read the intro paragraph to my favorite sites on one page so I can indulge in supreme efficiency, or laziness as it were. An example of this in action can be found on The Morning News' sidebar.
I promise you, that if I ever figure that out, I will let you know. I have no idea what the hell syndicating your blog does for you. Perhaps it is a way to attract traffic to your site without a lot of work. I have grown tired of checking my stats and drawing people to my site. The stuff I write on the internet is interesting to approximately 3 people, so attracting people to my site and then disappointing them with my lackluster content would simply be mean. So don't hold your breath. I probably won't be looking too hard at this RSS thing.

What assumptions do Americans have about Canada or Canadians that your fellow countrymen and you find irritating.
Sadly, all of the assumptions that Americans have about Canadians are absolutely correct. And we hate it. But are too polite to tell you.

Over the last few years you've maintained a very good friendship with Amy despite using the Internet as your chief communications medium. Further, it's no longer strange to hear about someone striking up a conversation, making a new friend, or even falling in love over the Internet. I find that to be testament to humankind's ability for complex relationships. What's your take on why the Internet still works as a venue for like-minded individuals?
How the hell else are you supposed to meet people? In the grocery store? At a bar? Not likely. People are afraid to make eye contact. People are afraid of embarrassing themselves. Everyone thinks everyone else is wittier, more intelligent, funnier or smarter then they are. Either that, or they are afraid they will get robbed, raped or killed.

The internet gives you the opportunity to try before you buy. It allows you to be anonymous. It is safe. Online, you can look around and find someone with common interests prior to making contact. These contacts start with comments on a website, link backs and email. Depending on the response you get, you can then take steps to foster communication possibly leading to an online friendship.

I don't think that online friendships replace personal face-to-face friendships. Emails can be carefully crafted, instant messages can be proofread, comments can be edited. Face-to-face you have to think on your toes, you make mistakes, you embarrass yourself. But these embarrassments are helpful in developing well-rounded personalities. That is why Amy and I talk on the phone every once in a while. It is so we can convince ourselves we aren't total geeks.

It's well documented on The Booge that many people have profoundly touched your life, from the birth of your son to the passing of friends and family. How is it that you are able to share so freely of your life?
How? It isn't that difficult. Life is quite silly. People take themselves very seriously and carefully guard the true person that lurks inside. I would rather know the real person behind the mask - warts and all. So, if I am going to write a weblog that everyone can access, I am going to do my best to make sure that the feelings that I share and that the stories I tell are true and accurate and reflect the person that I am. Sounds stupid, but if I am going to take the time to write on the internet, why make stuff up? Or hide stuff? I have already taken the leap to write online. Why not go all the way?

Now that the Internet isn't on the tips of everyone's tongues, do you find it a better place? What are some of the sites you read and why?
I haven't noticed. I mainly read weblogs. I am still reading the weblogs I was reading 2 years ago. There is a lot of information on the internet that I don't access because it doesn't interest me. Sometimes I think that I prefer to write on the internet rather than read it.

What are you reading on-line and off?
Online, my list is shrinking. Obviously I like Mike and Amy. And I have a certain spiritual connection with Daniel, even if we don’t communicate much. If I mention any more, I will have to mention them all. Go take a look at my sidebar, but don’t expect to like all of them.

Offline, my last two books were Don Quixote and Steppenwolf. Sounds heady, but it simply gives me something to do on the bus. Frankly, I could read a VCR manual to pass the time. My next book will be whatever Lorrie brings me home from the library.

Any last words?
Thanks for coming to the concert. And don't forget to vote.