I should have done this a while ago.

Hello, My name is Jim. I was a lurker here for about a month before I joined, and I am glad that I did.

Currently I am a college student, pursuing a bachelors in Education, with a Unified Science focus. (translation: high school science teacher) I work at the Walmart Tire and Lube Express (TLE) as a technician (it pays my bills).

I live in MO, and one of the borders of my town is the Mississippi River. I enjoy fishing (crappie), hunting for morels, and exploring forgotten historical sites. I am at home outdoors, and enjoy exploring and just being away from civilization.

My main indoor activity is reading. I read a LOT. I enjoy good sci-fi, but I read pretty much anything I can get my hands on. I have a near-photographic memory, and am pretty visually based. (I remember what I see with good recall) (sorry, I am in school to be a teacher, there is a whole whack-load of testing involved)

Should I list my EDC?

WELCOME JIM!

List whatever you like, we love to talk about gear here!

Mike

Welcome to the campfire. I am glad to hear that another Sci-Fi fan has arrived!!!

Although I no longer live on the Mississippi River, I've spent a lot of time growing up in a mississippi River town (Vidalia, La) and I spent a lot of my time living and sailing upon the Mississippi River.

There are a few towboaters that come here!!

welcome sir we have a great bunch of people here.

Lee

If you like Ringo or Weber, check out Baen's Free Library. They also occasionally bind in CD's in the first printing of new hardbacks for these two in particular and several others that may be copied but not sold.

No affiliation except several bookcases full.

I too live and hunt in the Mississippi River valley, but a little closer to the top. I am really glad to see that there will be one more outdoor oriented teacher. My wife is a 5th grade school teacher, and most kids arrive in her classroom every year with an innate, but unaddressed interest in the outdoors. We walk the logging trails in the summer and pick up feathers, skulls, beehives, agates, and she brings the finds to her science class, and the excitement is palpable.

Welcome aboard Jim.

Welcome!

Wow - More SF fans - I rad a lot of SF, but mostly like older Campbell-ian stuff, BUT also like Military SF (Lot of Ringo - some Webber, currently re-reading the Chris Longknife stuff)

Jim,

The father in me thanks you for becoming a teacher. My young teenagers have had some AMAZING teachers that have been great influences.

The old tired-of-working-for-a-giant-international-corporation employee in me often thinks about how cool it would be to give it all up and teach. I think I'd really enjoy teaching at a junior college. It probably won't ever happen, but a guy can dream.

Welcome to the campfire.

Ken

Thank you one and all for the warm welcome.

Sci-fi
I currently am working through Spider Robinson's works, but its slow going finding them and getting them here. I have read most if not all of Robert Heinlein's books. I enjoyed Robert Aspirin's Myth series (still ongoing but i have the first 9) But the beginning, and the best by far, was Frank Herbert's Dune. It's in my favorite book section (I have a Shelf on my bookcase for my favorite books). I have read the rest of the series, but the first IMO was the best.

Teaching
I have an AA to date. I plan on acquiring my BS at the end of the next school year, and then teach at public school while I work on my masters. I figure I might as well do it now, as teachers are required to further their education. Currently I am thinking about getting a doctorate also, but I will have to see at the end of my masters. Science has always been my "strong" subject and I really love it.

GEAR

The part most want to see

EDC

I feel naked without:

Gerber Paraframe
Cell Phone + sheath
Wallet

I just feel uncomfortable and slightly paranoid without:

Pen (A cheap clicker is fine)
Sharpie (whistle, plus it writes! I love them, never run out of ink just seem to go to another owner before they wear out)
Gerber multi-plier + sheath. (multi tool) old model, no plastic (plastic + me = broken plastic).
Flashlight + sheath, current Husky 9 led with a duct tape fixed switch.
lighter (bic usually, djeep when i can find them, or a zippo with a bic back-up)
box of cancer sticks (bad yes, but i developed a habit before when i was still 10 ft tall and bullet-proof)
Water (i use a canteen at school and work)
chap-stick (original I do not care for the flavored varieties)
Watch, has to be analog and readable in the dark (either the hands or back-lit)

Kit + sheath
I think this falls under comfort, FAK, and USK

Altoids tin
8 ibuprofen in pill fob
4 little, 2 big, 1 little and 1 big curved needle
10' black thread
20-30' 50lb test fishing line
4 1000mg tums (wrapped in aluminum foil)
4 cloth bandaids
1 little tube krazy glue
razor blade
2 3'' wires (white and black, light gauge, insulated)
p-38 (can opener)
4 q-tips (wrapped in plastic)
nitro plastic tube with Orajel in it, duct taped closed
1 1/2' of aluminum foil folded flat
2 2x3 gauze pads
4 iodine wipes
mini (homemade) led torch (rubber tube, 2 button batteries, tactical eraser, red led bulb)
little bundle of picture wire
1 big 1 med 4 small (1 tiny brass) safety pins
1 big 1 med 1 little rubberbands

*edit* duck tape on the outside of the tin**

This kit is designed to provide me with what i need while out and about. It is not a PSK for the backwoods or a stand alone FAK. It covers my basics for what i need while at work/college. I will carry this kit while in "country" (ie outside city limits but population density is still high) but if i am going into the back-country i take more gear. Pretty much everything in the kit falls into the category of "I wish I had ... at this time."

suggestions are welcome. Please this is a work-in-progress so input is valued.

Welcome - and kudos for training to be a teacher! That's an important, but underpaid job.



that never ends... The process is the goal, so to speak, not the finished product. Always tweaking, always adding and removing things. Adjusting for changes in season, location, experiences and so on. That's just part of the fun

*sniffs the new guy* Yep, smells like a Jim. Yet another Jim. We have a lot of Jims. I say we change his name for him. *laughs*

Welcome aboard. I think you'll find a lot of folks who are both outdoorsy and geeky here. And yes, you will be tested.

Both describe me well.

I spoke of creating a "batbelt" here

I have completed my Kit sheath and flashlight sheath. My kit sheath is kinda a weird design, but it works as i intended. there is a horizontal band that is snug around the tin that holds it pretty well. the vertical bands are sewn together and support the tin from slipping out and covers it. I was thinking that having an extra hand on my waist might come in handy. i have used it to hold my flashlight a couple times, and electrical cords (putting up Christmas lights) There are two loops on the back for my belt, with a opening for a beltloop from my pants in-between. I am thinking about making a couple pouches for general use but have not made them yet.

I made these out of seat belt's. they are sewn together with fishing line. the snaps on the kit sheath are just simple ones from walmart. i have used these pretty much daily for over a month.

Greetings Jim.

Don't beat yourself up about being overdue. I have apparently committed a faux pas by not doing one of these myself. I'll have to fix that in the next day or so.

Nice EDC. Will look it over later in more detail and make any suggestions. Keep up the good work.

very nice Izzy.

looks more socially acceptable than mine. that would be a big plus!

Jim, yes he is. He is pushing towards three, and still acts like a puppy a lot of the time.

"does his best evil laugh" "Yes we will"

two minor ker-fluffles happened last night.

I saw a raccoon trying to cross a main street, it was funny trying to calm people and corral the poor guy. Animal Control showed up and wanted to try to use their lead (i don't know its actual name the long bar with a hoop on one end) it was keystone kops! I laughed so hard I was wiping away tears.

Oh, and some rednecks thought it would be fun to light a strip of gasoline across the road around 11 pm. (my road, different from the first one)

the power went out in my microbiology class today, guess who was the only one with a flashlight? *puffs out his chest a little*

A little random, but such is my life.