Rick - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Not yet over the hill... but teetering precariously! I'm the proud father of three wonderful, brillant, beautiful/handsome kids. Thank goodness they took after their Mother!!I'm a real West (by God) Virginian! Grew up in Morgantown, the son of a coon-hunting, UMWA coal miner and a shy, intelligent farm girl. My WV roots are strongest in Hampshire County -- gonna be buried there someday, hopefully not too soon! Also have roots in Preston, Monongalia and Kanawha Counties. Both of my parents' families go back many generations in WV, when we were still Virginia, all the way back before the Revolutionary War.I have lived as an adult in OH, TN and VA, but chose to come back home to be near family (and escape the hellhole that is Fairfax County, VA!!). Most of my family still lives at various spots in WV, including my wonderful sister and two brothers.I'm a twice grad of WVU, and now manage an environmental consulting firm, where I specialize in Clean Air Act compliance for lots of great manufacturers and energy companies across WV. The job is very frustrating though, because instead of fixing real environmental problems, federal and state regulations cause us to spend much of our time doing meaningless paperwork that provides little benefit to the environment.

My Interests

Making a difference; clean, free flowing streams; waterfalls; the beach; smallmouth bass fishing; tropical fishkeeping; finding and eating native foods (raspberries, blackberries, wineberries, teaberries, huckleberries, wild strawberries, morrell mushrooms, butternuts, hazelnuts, black walnuts, ramps, sassafras); spicy food (Cajun/Creole; Greek, Spanish, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Thai); seafood (cooked, not raw); anchovy pizza!; good beer; WVU sports; Pittsburgh Steelers; computer gaming (especially the Call of Duty series); UFOs.

I'd like to meet:

People who are PASSIONATE about their life, their dreams, careers and interests. Real people (as opposed to those putting on an act), regardless of education or income levels. People who want to improve themselves (and America) through hard work and self-reliance, not by relying upon the government to do things that you can do for yourself.

Music:

The Beatles, Boston, ELO, Led Zeppelin, Karen Carpenter, Jewel (sighhhhh...), Fleetwood Mac, CCR, U2, The Cars, Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, America, The Hollies, Styx, John Denver, Olivia Newton-John (sighhhhh... again), traditional Celtic, Radio Caroline (UK Internet radio station), and most recently -- Charleston, WV's own Carpenter Ants -- do yourself a favor and catch them live at the Empty Glass in Charleston or wherever else you can.

Movies:

Nothing too deep, just mucho fun or escapism: The Wizard of Oz (original version!), Lord of the Rings triology, Die Hard (all), Star Wars (all), Alien, Terminator (1 and 2), anything with John Wayne, Patton, Midway, Saving Private Ryan, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Animal House, Napolean Dynamite, Elf.

Television:

History, Discovery, National Geographic, Military Channel, HD Net, Universal Network, college football and basketball, pro football, NASCAR, Winter Olympics. I don't don't like very much on Network TV, though there are exceptions - House, some CSI, some sports. All-time favorite TV shows: China Beach, The Walton's, Batman, Bonanza.

Books:

I go for entertainment/fantasy and immersive story-telling, such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Charles Dickens, Nero Wolfe series, Sherlock Holmes series, Michael Crichton (Prey, Sphere), Larry Niven (Ringworld).

Heroes:

George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, Gen. George Patton; everyone (no matter how seemingly humble) who makes the best of their circumstances in life.