I'm honored to belong to the ranks of those who have served as scoutmaster of one of the oldest boy scout troops in the country. Troop 504 was founded in 1917, and has been in continuous operation with the same chartering organization (North Congregational Church) since then. My term as scoutmaster ran from 2004 to 2007, with three years prior to that as as assistant scoutmaster. I've also been a Webelos den leader for Pack 502.
The troop meets weekly during the school year, Monday evenings at 7 PM. We have monthly camping trips that have recently included canoeing on the Deerfield and Connecticut Rivers, canoeing Saranac Lakes, bicycling on Cape Cod, Rock Climbing at Rose Ledge, orienteering at Mt. Greylock, backpacking on the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, hiking the Boston Freedom Trail, and climbing Mt. Monadnock in the winter. The troop participates in various service projects, including collecting food for the Amherst Survival Center, sending used textbooks to schools in Sri Lanka, and restoration and improvement of conservation trails in Amherst. Each summer we go camping for one or two weeks at Massawepie Scout Camp.
Scoutmaster, Jamboree Troop 119
From 2003 to 2005 I was also pleased to be selected as scoutmaster of the Great Trails Council contingent to the 2005 National Scout Jamboree. This troop, made up of 36 scouts from Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties, met several times to prepare for the 12-day trip to Washington, D.C., and the Jamboree.
Teaching at the Hartsbrook High School
I help out, on a volunteer basis, with teaching subjects such as geology, mineralogy, astronomy, and human eye anatomy in grades 6 through 8 at the Hartsbrook School, where my children also attend. I also teach courses in logic and computer science at the 9th and 10th grade levels, and have taught geology (9th), meteorology (10th), and astronomy (11th). In preparation for teaching in the Waldorf School, I spent two years in a locally-run Foundation Studies program for Waldorf Education. Those studies have also helped me to improve my teaching at UMass.
Studying Piano
Notice that it says "studying." I don't claim to be able to play anything on the piano, but I do have a lot of fun trying. I began taking piano lessons in 2000, with no prior musical experience. I find that practicing is almost a meditative experience, and has its own rewards, even if I don't manage to make much music.
Large Format Photography
After many years of shooting 35mm and 6x9 formats, I moved up to a 4x5 view camera when I came across a used Wista for a very good price. After discovering how wonderful it is to work with big film and many more creative options, I followed the "bigger is better" principle to move up to a larger format. I now shoot primarily in 8 x 10, 8 x 20, and 12 x 20 formats (those numbers are in inches -- and yes, it means that I am shooting a negative that is almost two square feet in size). Mostly I work in black and white, although I do shoot color transparencies in 4 x 5 and 8 x 10. I have attended workshops where I was fortunate to study with Michael Smith, Paula Chamlee, Tillman Crane, and Lois Connor. One of my first 12 x 20 photos was printed in View Camera magazine. I use film by Kodak and Ilford, develop with PMK Pyro, and I contact print on Kodak Azo, using Michael Smith's Amidol formula as my developer. For the last several years I have been working on a project of as-found still-lifes at the Hartsbrook School. Progress is slow -- as you can guess, I don't really have all that much spare time.
Stargazing
A picture I took of comet Hyakutake. 1-minute exposure, 50 mm lens at f1.4, ASA 200 film, tripod mount without tracking. Teaching astronomy and counselling astronomy merit badge for the scouts give me excuses to get out and stargaze. I'm also a founding member of the Amherst Area Amateur Astronomer's Association, and I sometimes give public planetarium shows at Amherst College's Bassett Planetarium.
Update the Web Pages for my Church
I'm also the guy who changes the sign board out front. God only knows where some of those messages come from. I sometimes help out as a sound engineer and computer tech for worship. I served as senior deacon of the church for four years, and also led two pastoral search committees. Based on that experience, I've also volunteered as a pastoral search consultant, helping other UCC churches in Western Massachusetts with the search process.