Some answers

Shuk’s questions:

 1) Why does physics interest you?

In general, it doesn’t interest me as much as it used to.  I was much more into it before grad school than I am now.  I’m not the type to read Brian Greene books for fun, or watch NOVA specials on string theory.  Fortunately, I am still somewhat interested in teaching physics, and that’s where I’ve got nearly all my interesting stuff in since coming to grad school.

2) What is your favorite DC bar and/or resturant?

Bar?  Probably the Brickskellar.  Restaurant?  I enjoyed my feast immensely at Marrakesh, which makes fine Moroccon food.  Seven courses over… at least three hours.  Good stuff.  The Pizza Mart on 18th st. is good for a quick cholesterol fix, also.

3) What do (or did) your parents do for a living?

My dad teaches high school math.  He did that straight out of college, got a boring “Office Space” style job at EDS for 12 years after that (since his first teaching job didn’t pay enough to feed 4 of us), and then about 7-8 years ago, he went back to teaching high school at a private Catholic school near our church.

My mom did little but take care of us for a while, but now she makes more than my dad.  She does computer and network support for CSC, and she works near a General Dynamics tank plant, since they use her services sometimes.

4) How serious do you want Might Could to become as a band?

I’d love to be able to make enough money off of it to live, but we haven’t done enough yet to make that happen.  Seriously, if I could make a living with this, I could see myself leaving physics for a while.  Problem is, I’ve sunk too much time and effort into grad school to drop it all now… and I think it’s that lack of dedication that will prevent me from devoting the time to MC needed to really succeed.  Bitch of a pickle, eh?

BK’s questions

What are you reading lately?

Nothing.  I was, a while ago, reading the Dark Tower series, but I finished that, and decided my leisure time would be better spent elsewhere.

Would you rather be a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond?

The latter.  I’m afraid I’m becoming the former, though.  Out of high school (and, to a lesser extent, undergrad), I felt on top of my profession and where I was going.  I don’t anymore.

How do you learn to do new things?

Practice them?  I don’t know.  What’s the last new thing I learned to do?  One thing my research has shown is that without context, these questions are very hard.

If you could take over any nation in the world and rule it with an iron fist, which would you choose and why?

Norway.  I like to say the word “fjord.”