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comp_guy_rossWhat is your full name and birthdate? Where were you born? My full name? Ross Wilkinson.
All right, all right, it's Ross Fearchar Wilkinson. No, I don't use my middle name. I was born in Columbus, Ohio on January 20, 1976.
Where do you live? Do you rent or own? I'm currently renting a two-bedroom apartment in Beverly that I share with Ester Morales. If hard work pays off and I get confirmed as Cabot's permanent Computer Science teacher, I want to look into buying a condo at least.
Do you keep your house/dorm room/bedroom clean? Why or why not? I'm fairly neat as a general rule. I only accumulate serious clutter on those horizontal surfaces that don't get sat down at and used on a regular basis, end tables, nightstands and the like.
What are your walls covered with? Posters, art, photos? Not much more than paint at the moment. As I settle in, I'll probably hang some of my photos and fractal prints.
Do you have any pets? Not right now. I'm allergic to dogs and cats, but I'd like to have a ferret or maybe a reptile of some sort.
Describe a favorite part of your job/school (favorite class?). The entire school is brand new to me, so I couldn't really say yet. Everyone's been lovely so far, and I do like seeing Riley and Winnie on a more regular basis.
Were you forced into your profession/school by parents or peers or did circumstances dictate your choice of profession/school? The only pressure my parents put on me was to study hard and be a good role model for my younger brother and sister. I chose pretty much everything else, though circumstances do stick their chaotic little fingers into everyone's lives at some time or another.
Were/are you a prize student or did/do you just barely pass? Not to brag, but they generally don't let the barely-passing into MIT.
Have you ever received any awards or honours? I was a National Merit Scholar, and two MIT classmates and I won a corporation-sponsored award for some security software we created. That helped pay for my last year there.
What are your long-term goals in school/work? Inspiring enthusiasm, connecting with people, helping keep minds growing and expanding.
Give a two or three word description of yourself, and explain why/how you came to choose each word. I would say I am:
Intelligent: I didn't choose that one just because I have a fairly high IQ and can program my way out of a paper bag. I'm pretty good at problem-solving and figuring things out in general. Not saying I don't have my blind spots, because who doesn't?
Motivated: This came from both of my parents. They told all three of us that, while we'd always be special to them, with anyone else we'd have to work to earn recognition. The lesson took after the usual teenaged resistance.
Friendly: I'm not one of those stereotypical computer techie types who got into programming because they find computers easier to deal with than people. I like people, in all of their complex, emotional, brilliant, confusing glory. People are fascinating.
Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life. I wish I could come up with something happier for you all, but the most defining moment in my childhood was my mother's death when I was 14. Pancreatic cancer melted a warm, indomitable woman to nothing in a matter of months. Not only did I lose my mother, who inspired me in so many things, but in many ways I lost my childhood as well.
Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you? Secrets, yes. Deep and dark? I really can't think of any.
Are you who you claim to be? I'm certainly not anyone else, so I hope so.
Who were your parents? Were you raised by them? If not, then why didn't they and who did raise you? My parents are Juliana and Matthew Wilkinson. I was raised by both of them until my mother died when I was 14. Since then it was my father, the twins and me until Dad remarried when I was 22. My stepmother Clarissa is a lovely lady, though of course we've been more friends than anything mother-son. Thankfully I was mature enough to be glad and not resentful that Dad found someone new.
What did/do your parents and/or foster parents do for a living? My mother was a middle school science teacher who won awards for her techniques and programs. My father is a journalist, he wrote for the Columbus Dispatch for many years before he moved to Beverly and got remarried. He freelances very lucratively these days. He's even been talking about teaching journalism.
How did/do you get along with them? I loved and love them dearly. I had a bit of a rebellious period at around 16-17, but overall my relationship with my father has been one of my life's rocks.
Do you have any siblings? Tell us about them. Ah yes, the twins. Diane and Dwayne. You've heard about twins so close that they're almost telepathic? That would be them. It's like they have some unspoken code going on, but luckily Diane's husband Scott seems to be in on it too. They all three went into business together producing specialty yarns and fibers from the sheep, alpacas and angora goats that they raise. Dwayne is currently in the process of setting up a small-scale dairy to produce cheeses, yogurts and other products from the milk.
I also acquired a small group of step-siblings when my father married Clarissa. Out of all of them, I hit it off with Riley most soundly. That hasn't changed.
Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? My family doesn't really do black sheep, just various shades of gray.
Do you have any close friends? If so, who and what are they like? I have an assortment of old friends from MIT that I stay in touch with as much as possible. Here in Beverly, my closest friends are Riley and Winnie.
Do you currently have a best friend whom you would protect with your reputation or your life? If so, who are they and what caused you to feel so close to them? I'd certainly want to protect Riley and Winnie as much as possible. Rye's been through too much with losing her husband and now Winnie's illness. I'm glad I'll be some on-hand support for her, at least.
Who do you turn to when you're in trouble? I'm rarely in any trouble that I can't handle on my own, but I know I can always talk to my father, the twins or Riley. I've also turned to Rudy and Deke, two of my best friends from MIT.
Do you have any bitter enemies? I've made one or two temporary professional enemies over the years, but none of the bitter, lifelong type. I'm a nice guy, really!
How do you think others generally perceive you? Most likely as a huge computer geek, but hopefully a polished one.
Do you have any unusual habits or dominant personality traits that are evident to others? Every so often I'll get to talking to someone while the back of my mind is chewing on something else, and an idea will abruptly hit and make me blurt something out that has nothing to do with my original conversation. Hopefully those jumps don't cause too much mental whiplash.
Do you deliberately present yourself differently in different situations, and how? Just the normal little social changes that everyone makes depending on what's appropriate. I suppose I emphasize different bits of myself in different situations, but I'm mostly WYSIWYG.
Do you have any heroes or idols, either contemporary or from legend? My mother. Sorry if that sounds trite, but she inspired my passion for education, my determination to keep growing as a person, and so many other things. But really, anyone who has done things their own way and taken risks to bring something new and good into the world has my admiration.
Do you have any long-term dreams or ambitions? What are they? I'd like to travel more. I'd like to have a family some day. Riley lets me practice a little with Winnie now and again, which is nice.
Do you have any great rational or irrational fears or phobias? I'm most afraid of stagnation, of getting in ruts. I want to keep learning and experiencing new things as much as possible, otherwise I feel like mental rot sets in.
Do you have any silly or irrational obsessions? Nothing I'd class as an obsession. I do have a fascination for the odd and quirky.
Is there anything that enrages you? Is there anything which embarrasses you? People who use take advantage of the vulnerabilities of others enrage me. My most embarrassing moments happen when I make some gaffe by not thinking things through.
What habits would you find most annoying, and what are your own most annoying habits? Interrupting someone irritates me, breaking into the thought process of someone who's trying to make a point. I probably annoy people by constantly twiddling around with whatever's in my hands, though I hope not too much.
What is your favourite type of animal? Why do you have an affinity for that creature? Hard to pick just one favorite, isn't it? But I do love ferrets, endlessly curious little fur-slinkies that they are. They spend their entire lives sleeping and getting into things. I admire their intrepid natures.
What is the one task you would absolutely refuse to do? ... are we talking about the streak-through-the-campus or eat-a-dozen-live-toads kind of tasks, or something that someone might actually ask me to do?
What is your most treasured possession? What three things could you not live without? My brainpower and knowledge, but my most treasured material possessions are my mother's engagement and wedding rings. Three things that make life worth living would be ... good friends, good conversation and good coffee.
All right, all right, it's Ross Fearchar Wilkinson. No, I don't use my middle name. I was born in Columbus, Ohio on January 20, 1976.
Where do you live? Do you rent or own? I'm currently renting a two-bedroom apartment in Beverly that I share with Ester Morales. If hard work pays off and I get confirmed as Cabot's permanent Computer Science teacher, I want to look into buying a condo at least.
Do you keep your house/dorm room/bedroom clean? Why or why not? I'm fairly neat as a general rule. I only accumulate serious clutter on those horizontal surfaces that don't get sat down at and used on a regular basis, end tables, nightstands and the like.
What are your walls covered with? Posters, art, photos? Not much more than paint at the moment. As I settle in, I'll probably hang some of my photos and fractal prints.
Do you have any pets? Not right now. I'm allergic to dogs and cats, but I'd like to have a ferret or maybe a reptile of some sort.
Describe a favorite part of your job/school (favorite class?). The entire school is brand new to me, so I couldn't really say yet. Everyone's been lovely so far, and I do like seeing Riley and Winnie on a more regular basis.
Were you forced into your profession/school by parents or peers or did circumstances dictate your choice of profession/school? The only pressure my parents put on me was to study hard and be a good role model for my younger brother and sister. I chose pretty much everything else, though circumstances do stick their chaotic little fingers into everyone's lives at some time or another.
Were/are you a prize student or did/do you just barely pass? Not to brag, but they generally don't let the barely-passing into MIT.
Have you ever received any awards or honours? I was a National Merit Scholar, and two MIT classmates and I won a corporation-sponsored award for some security software we created. That helped pay for my last year there.
What are your long-term goals in school/work? Inspiring enthusiasm, connecting with people, helping keep minds growing and expanding.
Give a two or three word description of yourself, and explain why/how you came to choose each word. I would say I am:
Intelligent: I didn't choose that one just because I have a fairly high IQ and can program my way out of a paper bag. I'm pretty good at problem-solving and figuring things out in general. Not saying I don't have my blind spots, because who doesn't?
Motivated: This came from both of my parents. They told all three of us that, while we'd always be special to them, with anyone else we'd have to work to earn recognition. The lesson took after the usual teenaged resistance.
Friendly: I'm not one of those stereotypical computer techie types who got into programming because they find computers easier to deal with than people. I like people, in all of their complex, emotional, brilliant, confusing glory. People are fascinating.
Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life. I wish I could come up with something happier for you all, but the most defining moment in my childhood was my mother's death when I was 14. Pancreatic cancer melted a warm, indomitable woman to nothing in a matter of months. Not only did I lose my mother, who inspired me in so many things, but in many ways I lost my childhood as well.
Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you? Secrets, yes. Deep and dark? I really can't think of any.
Are you who you claim to be? I'm certainly not anyone else, so I hope so.
Who were your parents? Were you raised by them? If not, then why didn't they and who did raise you? My parents are Juliana and Matthew Wilkinson. I was raised by both of them until my mother died when I was 14. Since then it was my father, the twins and me until Dad remarried when I was 22. My stepmother Clarissa is a lovely lady, though of course we've been more friends than anything mother-son. Thankfully I was mature enough to be glad and not resentful that Dad found someone new.
What did/do your parents and/or foster parents do for a living? My mother was a middle school science teacher who won awards for her techniques and programs. My father is a journalist, he wrote for the Columbus Dispatch for many years before he moved to Beverly and got remarried. He freelances very lucratively these days. He's even been talking about teaching journalism.
How did/do you get along with them? I loved and love them dearly. I had a bit of a rebellious period at around 16-17, but overall my relationship with my father has been one of my life's rocks.
Do you have any siblings? Tell us about them. Ah yes, the twins. Diane and Dwayne. You've heard about twins so close that they're almost telepathic? That would be them. It's like they have some unspoken code going on, but luckily Diane's husband Scott seems to be in on it too. They all three went into business together producing specialty yarns and fibers from the sheep, alpacas and angora goats that they raise. Dwayne is currently in the process of setting up a small-scale dairy to produce cheeses, yogurts and other products from the milk.
I also acquired a small group of step-siblings when my father married Clarissa. Out of all of them, I hit it off with Riley most soundly. That hasn't changed.
Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? My family doesn't really do black sheep, just various shades of gray.
Do you have any close friends? If so, who and what are they like? I have an assortment of old friends from MIT that I stay in touch with as much as possible. Here in Beverly, my closest friends are Riley and Winnie.
Do you currently have a best friend whom you would protect with your reputation or your life? If so, who are they and what caused you to feel so close to them? I'd certainly want to protect Riley and Winnie as much as possible. Rye's been through too much with losing her husband and now Winnie's illness. I'm glad I'll be some on-hand support for her, at least.
Who do you turn to when you're in trouble? I'm rarely in any trouble that I can't handle on my own, but I know I can always talk to my father, the twins or Riley. I've also turned to Rudy and Deke, two of my best friends from MIT.
Do you have any bitter enemies? I've made one or two temporary professional enemies over the years, but none of the bitter, lifelong type. I'm a nice guy, really!
How do you think others generally perceive you? Most likely as a huge computer geek, but hopefully a polished one.
Do you have any unusual habits or dominant personality traits that are evident to others? Every so often I'll get to talking to someone while the back of my mind is chewing on something else, and an idea will abruptly hit and make me blurt something out that has nothing to do with my original conversation. Hopefully those jumps don't cause too much mental whiplash.
Do you deliberately present yourself differently in different situations, and how? Just the normal little social changes that everyone makes depending on what's appropriate. I suppose I emphasize different bits of myself in different situations, but I'm mostly WYSIWYG.
Do you have any heroes or idols, either contemporary or from legend? My mother. Sorry if that sounds trite, but she inspired my passion for education, my determination to keep growing as a person, and so many other things. But really, anyone who has done things their own way and taken risks to bring something new and good into the world has my admiration.
Do you have any long-term dreams or ambitions? What are they? I'd like to travel more. I'd like to have a family some day. Riley lets me practice a little with Winnie now and again, which is nice.
Do you have any great rational or irrational fears or phobias? I'm most afraid of stagnation, of getting in ruts. I want to keep learning and experiencing new things as much as possible, otherwise I feel like mental rot sets in.
Do you have any silly or irrational obsessions? Nothing I'd class as an obsession. I do have a fascination for the odd and quirky.
Is there anything that enrages you? Is there anything which embarrasses you? People who use take advantage of the vulnerabilities of others enrage me. My most embarrassing moments happen when I make some gaffe by not thinking things through.
What habits would you find most annoying, and what are your own most annoying habits? Interrupting someone irritates me, breaking into the thought process of someone who's trying to make a point. I probably annoy people by constantly twiddling around with whatever's in my hands, though I hope not too much.
What is your favourite type of animal? Why do you have an affinity for that creature? Hard to pick just one favorite, isn't it? But I do love ferrets, endlessly curious little fur-slinkies that they are. They spend their entire lives sleeping and getting into things. I admire their intrepid natures.
What is the one task you would absolutely refuse to do? ... are we talking about the streak-through-the-campus or eat-a-dozen-live-toads kind of tasks, or something that someone might actually ask me to do?
What is your most treasured possession? What three things could you not live without? My brainpower and knowledge, but my most treasured material possessions are my mother's engagement and wedding rings. Three things that make life worth living would be ... good friends, good conversation and good coffee.
