I’ve been tagged by Jasia and asked to reveal five facts about myself that you probably don’t know . Well, here goes:
- I hold a B.S. in Chemistry from the State University of New York and a Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Oregon State University.
- I’ve taught Archery at summer camps in New York and Vermont.
- While in elementary school, Gregory Maguire and I wrote At Kenter’s Lane and Amberside, unpublished books about the adventures of two brothers living in England . Greg has gone on to become the best-selling author of many books, including Wicked, the book which became the basis for the Broadway musical of the same name.
- My all-time favorite children’s author is Edward Eager who wrote Half Magic, Magic by the Lake, Knight’s Castle, The Time Garden, The Well Wishers, and Magic or Not?
- My blue jeans were on display at the Smithsonian Institution (The National Museum of American History) in Washington, DC from 1995-2006 . They are now in storage while the museum undergoes renovation.
The second part of the tagging challenge is to tag five others to reveal five things about themselves . Are George Morgan, Drew Smith, Apple, James Curley, and Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak up to the challenge?
Copyright © 2006 by Stephen J. Danko
Oh, so you’re a plant doctor eh? Where were you 5 years ago when my ash trees were attacked by Emerald Ash Borers? I lost 2 beautiful trees to those varmints. I sure could have used your expertise back then. Why didn’t you reveal yourself sooner? 😉
Now about your pants… I know there must be a great story about what kinds of plants you were experimenting with when you left your pants in Washington DC. Care to tell???
Hi Steve,
Yes, we have to know about the blue jeans at the Smithsonian. Were they a pair you owned that were confiscated for some reason? During a protest march in DC? Or did you donate them for an historical or aesthetic purpose?
And yes, I’m up to the tagging challenge. Stay posted (pun intended!).
George
Ah Steve, I saw that you had been tagged and wondered if you were up for it! I am so glad to see that you were. Have to admit, very intriguing information, and you are correct, I highly doubt anyone knew these things! I am impressed. Writing a book in elementary school? Such a wide variety of interests you have had, and schooling, learning and improving are your main passions I believe! 🙂
I have to follow suit and say the biggest intrigue is those jeans! I don’t even want to venture a guess on why and how they got in the Smithsonian, but I hope you do plan to elaborate on that!
I have enjoyed reading everyone’s info who has been tagged and think this was an awesome idea, so glad people are responding to it!
Like everyone else, I’m waiting to hear about those jeans, but in the meantime, I went ahead and accepted your challenge.
How long are you gonna keep us in suspense about those jeans? 😉
~ Lee
Steve,
Like my classmate Cheryl, I am impressed. That was quite a list. Here I was thinking you were always at a desk doing your job and rather recently got interested in genealogy. And I can’t wait to hear what some of the others write. Thanks so much for sharing.
George and Megan, thanks so much for accepting the challenge!
In response to the comments and messages asking for more details about the jeans – OK I’ll provide more info in a day or two. I hope to include photographs of the exhibit at the Smithsonian, but I seem to have misplaced those photos. Well, in any case, you’ll get the whole story, with or without the photos!
Dr. Steve and the Smithsonian!? Boy, following that was tough. You’ll have to fill us in. I’m sure it’s a great story.
Since your doctorate is in Botany & Plant Pathology I felt free to send this out to the garden bloggers, as most of the genealogy bloggers seem to have been tagged already.
Hi Steve,
As I don’t think I know 5 bloggers, I shall accept my challenge here!
1. I have a masters degree in human sciences (anthropology, neuroscience, genetics etc). from Oxford University and a PhD in behavioural neuroscience from the University of Cambridge.
2. I am a fellow of Darwin College, Cambridge. (This means I get a lot of free meals in college!). I do research into maternal caregiving and its importance for infant behavioural development – hence my fascination with maternal lines!
3. I am an avid cricket fan and player – I was brought up in Yorkshire!. I love baseball, but cricket is still the original and best game! (I’m going to St.Lucia to watch the world cup – can’t wait!)
4. I was in part inspired to start blogging by a friend of mine from Montreal, Marc, who runs an excellent wine blog – http://weingolb.blogspot.com/ – He told me to write about what I was passionate.
5. I’ve never met another CURLEY outside of my family. I once met a statue of James Michael Curley the former mayor in Boston, but that’s the closest I’ve ever come! It would be fun to find some other Curleys out there!
There you go Steve. I was desperately trying to think of whether any of my clothes had been deposited in a National Museum but none have been so far – it’s certainly now a goal for the future!
I am a Curley who finally took the DNA route, since it has been so hard to find the parents of my grandfather, Michael Curley, b. Ireland ca. 1874, settled in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania ca. 1890. It turns out I have a very close match to a Curley who has traced his line back to County Galway. Now I have to go forward from his ancestor (after confirming the correctness of his lineage, which seems accurate) and hope that my Michael appears in the family tree.