The Grumpolymath
What is a polymath? According to Wikipedia, it's "...an individual whose knowledge spans a substantial number of subjects, known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems." To be sure, I've had a very full life, rich with experiences, and these are the things I've done and learned. Note that I would never claim to be an expert at anything listed here, and my accomplishments have admittedly had mixed results. But regardless of any outcome, learning is never a bad thing.
Professional Skills and Experience
- sign painting
- advertising
- graphic design (Bachelor of Arts)
- print collateral design and production
- annual report production
- layout and comp production
- technical illustration
- typography and pasteup
- font design
- proofreading
- pre-press darkroom work
- stripping and platemaking
- press operation, including four-color
- printing finish work and equipment operation/maintenance
- print shop management
- print buying
- magazine production
- studio layout design and management
- multimedia program production
- media equipment operation and maintenance
- studio photography
- film development and printing
- special effects photography
- special effects camera design and construction
- videography
- video editing
- audio engineering
- video and motion picture sound design
- narration and voice talent
- video production
- 2D computer animation
- traditional cell animation
- stop motion animation
- short film production
- stage set design, decoration and lighting
- technical writing, including scientific papers
- creative writing, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry
- scriptwriting
- book editing
- trademark registration
- technical documentation
- user manual production
- desktop publishing
- marketing
- sales management
- product design and management, including scientific instruments
- trade show booth design, up to $1 million
- communications
- retail sales
- store management
- digital image restoration and manipulation
- commercial website design, development, coding, publishing, and management
- web application development
- software development:
- robotics
- instrument control
- genetic engineering
- data collection, analysis and display
- workflow management
- time and project management
- interactive knowledge bases
- discussion forums
- user interface design and consulting
- software usability study
- spreadsheet programming
- database architecture
- PC assembly and maintenance
- technical support
- research
- tutoring
- presentation
- energy use analysis and conservation
- volunteer organization board member, serving as secretary and vice chairman
- board meeting management
Practical Skills
- architectural design
- carpentry, from framing to finish work
- wiring (220V and below)
- septic system design
- HVAC system design and construction, including custom sheetmetal work
- plumbing, from cast iron (oakum and molten lead) and copper to PVC and Pex
- tiling, flooring, siding, and roofing
- masonry
- drywall
- window glazing
- painting and finishing
- custom lighting fixture design and construction
- furniture design and construction
- landscaping
- demolition
- contract crew management
- cooking, sewing, and gardening
- appliance repair
- auto repair and maintenance
- railroad trainman
- narrow gauge track maintenance
- antique railroad equipment repair, restoration and maintenance
- antique locomotive rewiring
- equipment operation, from Bobcats to 10K# forklifts
- wood and metal lathe operation
- animal habitat construction
- cancer patient caregiver
Hobby, Craft, and Fine Arts Skills
- model railroading, including HO, N, Z, and T scales
- track planning and layout design
- benchwork, including wood, steel, and foam board
- handlaying track
- kitbashing and scratchbuilding, in wood, metal, and plastic
- fine soldering
- all aspects of scenery
- electronics design and wiring
- IC logic system design
- miniature mechanical animation and visual effects
- motorized mechanism design and construction
- special lighting effects, including fiber optics, microminiature light sources and UV
- backdrop painting
- article writing
- model photography, including image stacking
- model product design and documentation
- miniature mill and lathe work
- master fabrication and small part resin casting
- laser cutting design and art production
- packaging design
- model product patenting
- message board management
- fine art illustration and caricatures
- lithography, from etching to printmaking
- silkscreening
- needlepoint
- music production
Studies and Interests
- cinematography
- special effects production
- science fiction literature, art, film, and television
- musicology
- railroad history
- industrial revolution
- science and technology
- robotics
- optics and spectroscopy
- physics, from classical to theoretical
- astronautics and space exploration
- astrophysics/astronomy
- metaphysics/cosmology
- planetary geology
- speleology
- paleontology and zoology
- dendrology, pteridology, bryology, mycology, and lichenology
- etymology
- perception
- philosophy
"I was born modest, but it wore off." — Mark Twain