For the most part, those of us who frequent C&V seem to have a common bond: a very broadly defined interest in bikes of a certain era and aesthetic. Much to the consternation of spouses and friends, we tend to collect and make glory photos of bicycles; we discuss mechanical minutiae and sometimes historical trivia. As I've gotten to know forum members though the back-and-forth of posts, and through off line dealings, I've been a little amazed and fascinated at the diversity of this group. (Maybe this sort of thread already exists, but I sure couldn't find one.) Anyway, I thought I'd take a moment to start a thread to introduce that "other" side of ourselves, when we're not doing bike stuff. I'll start things off:

I've never been a racer; never had any illusions about or desire to race, although I enjoy watching the Tour and other road cycling events when they are broadcast. That said, my life doesn't revolve around bicycles. (well, not entirely!) The first 2+ decades of my professional life I was a visual art "practitioner," i.e., I was a fairly respected designer and illustrator. Although I still engage in the odd design assignment here and there, I eventually moved away from practice and into research. For the past ten years I've taught design, photography, and art/design histories, as well as researched and written extensively about studio art practices that merge traditional with digital philosophies of art making. I write curriculum and develop online learning and supervise a large department of art educators. My wife, kids and I have lived in the midwest for most of our lives, except for a few years when we lived in Alaska, where I developed and taught four to six week long arts-intensive programs through a state program in very small communities.

OK. Your turn.