User:Patrick

49 / m / 37,-122

Hi! I'm a currently a Denizen of the San Francisco graticule, having previously resided and geohashed in the Providence and Sacramento graticules.

I've always been interested in maps - both drawing them and viewing them for the statistical cache and artistic achievement they are.

I have also been an xkcd reader since mid-April 2008. I have found Randall's work to strike a chord with me, and have read other webcomics mentioned in his links, particularly Perry Bible Fellowship, Buttercup Festival, and Questionable Content.

I am a college graduate (Rhode Island College, History, 2002), a low-math geek (800 SAT, 2-time AHSME School winner and 1993 AIME participant), a Kakuro addict, a trivia buff (Learned League), a husband (to Dr. Brainz ©, since 6/17/2000), and a parent to Finnegan (6/3/04-3/20/09)

My wife and I founded and administered a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation called Finnz Fundz. We helped individuals and families in 36 states dealing with Cystic Fibrosis. We ceased fundraising and assistance operations in 2017.

I find the notion of geohashing a welcome diversion, and a good reason to get off my ass once in a while and go outside!

See you in the graticule, unless it's in the water - I can't risk becoming aquaraptor bait!

Geo-Statistical Anomaly Time!

The rough southern and eastern latitude and longitude boundary of the peninsula I lived on from 2005-2009 (41.66N, -71.36W), and the .1 degree square north and west, had not had an active geohash point in 423 days, until 8/29/08 (I was out of town, at the Red Sox game - worth the frustration). The last time there was a "geodrought" this long in this "centicule" (1/100 of a graticule) was between May 1, 1978, and July 7, 1979.

Also, the last land geohash for that graticule on Long Island, NY was on September 25, 2009; the last before that on February 12, 2006.

Our 100th day geohashing (8/28/08) gave us a snapshot of just how difficult it was to find time and resources to geohash in this area, with much deference to our friends in Australia and (especially) Europe. Our record was 6 completions out of 8 attempts. Many of the water geohashes have been in the Atlantic Ocean; those without decent watercraft are left out of the mix. In total, 53% of all geohashes have been in the water, ocean or otherwise - the first geohash reached in our graticule was a water geohash.

Couch Potato Geohash Fan Fiction

Part the First: The date is March 20, 1937; Detective Comics has just hit the stands. A natural gas explosion has rocked the community of New London, Texas; and the house I will occupy 68 years later would be as close to a geohash as it has ever been.

Part the Second: The date is February 23, 2002. We were all basking in the glow of Mitt Romney's Mormon Winter Olympics and the recent Super Bowl defeat of the St. Louis Rams. The house I will occupy a little over 3 short years from now will be nearly as close to a geohash as that fateful day in March of '37.

Part the Third: The date is Stardate 1345870983472346. Chancellor Randall proclaims today's geohash site directly on my former residence. It has been many years since global warming has flooded the site. My remarkably healthy severed head, floating blissfully in its cryostatic fluid, enjoys a cool additive capsule simulating a cold beer, along with Ted Williams' severed head on the shelf across the way. Hi, Neighbor!

Updating the last few years

Just catching up with the geohashing community...I have moved around a lot in the last few years in the wake of our son's medical care and the havoc that can wreak with Americans: we lost our house, we filed for bankruptcy, we lived in a good friend's apartment for a couple of months, then moved into our own apartment. We moved again in March 2012. My wife Kerry has undertaken a doctorate program at Johnson & Wales. I have continued in my lawn care profession, but for a different company; I am looking to exit this field (I am not literally in a grassy field).

Updating the next last few years

Again, with the updating? Dr. Burns is now a Student Support associate at UC Davis, and I recently began a job at Home Depot as a Measurement Associate in their Flooring Department for this area. I look to get this graticule moving again, and am VERY interested to see how the last few years have improved the geohashing experience!

Updating the Update

Yes, again with the updating. Dr. Burns and I moved to San Francisco in April 2018. Dr. Burns no longer works in higher education, and the world in general seems to be less successful in the working department. I continue to measure floors in this area; they are MUCH more expensive floors now. :)