User:Patrick

48 / m / 41,-71

Hi! I'm a Denizen of the Providence graticule.

Although I haven't much experience with GPS, 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 husband (to Kerry, since 6/17/2000), and a father (to Finnegan, who is currently hospitalized with complications from cystic fibrosis-related surgery). Sorry if that's too much information; it's just what's going on in my world right now. I encourage anyone with the means to donate to www.cff.org; their work has helped my son survive the battle he is going through.

That said, 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 live on (41.66N, -71.36W), and the .1 degree square north and west, has not had an active geohash point in the past 423 days (as of 8/28/08). 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 our graticule on Long Island, NY was on February 12, 2006; the last before that on March 29, 2004.

Our 100th day geohashing (8/28/08) gives us a snapshot of just how difficult it is to find time and resources to geohash in this area, with much deference to our friends in Australia and (especially) Europe. Our record is 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!