10 Things About Me

nobody@flickr.com (Mark VanDyke Photography) — Sun, 08 May 2011 10:06:34 -0700

Mark VanDyke Photography posted a photo:

A number of folks who happen to be both Facebook and Flickr friends have asked me why I haven't posted this particular photograph to Flickr yet (my Facebook icon). Well, here it is guys! I've never felt really comfortable with SPs, but I like to take a few from time to time to send to friends and family to let them know that I'm doing well and enjoying life on my own terms ;-)

Lately, I've been purposefully trying to be more personal in the photograph narratives--to add another dimension to the photograph so to speak. Not to mention, I've been trying to make this more of a photo blog than a photo gallery. So, I thought why not do one of those "ten things" lists that a lot of my fellow contacts have done. For those interested, see below; for those who just want the artwork, skip this part!

1. My two favorite places to be are the WNC mountains and the southern beaches of the Outer Banks.
Since I was born my family would vacation in the Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Hatteras areas of the sourthern Outer Banks. When I think of a beach, the Outer Banks are my standard. From fishing in the surf and sound to driving the deep sand beaches in my truck to swimming and kayaking the ocean swells--it doesn't get much better for me. The WNC mountains are a recent adventure for me. I had a job assignment in Spruce Pine, NC in 2006 and discovered the beauty and opportunity for a guy like me in these parts. The attitude, outdoorsiness, and sheer beauty of these mountains have me sold!

2. My favorite foods are berries!
Nothing beats a bowl of fresh mixed berries: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. And nothing is better than finding these berries growing wild in the mountains, warmed by the sun and tastier than any store bought variety could ever be.

3. Professionally I'm interested in harmonizing the built and natural environments.
I'm extremely interested in both the built and natural environments; particularly, how to reconcile both with each other, and even get the built environment to work as a restorative force for the natural environment. My educational background is in Construction Management (bachelors and masters) and my professional experience has been with a variety of General Contractors in the residential, commercial and healthcare construction sectors.

4. I love bikes!
The human powered types. I own a number of mountain bikes of different frame materials and component groups and find my time on the trail to be some of the best time spent in my life. I'm not a fan of downhill or big suspension personally; I'm an old-school, hard-tail XC rider who enjoys going up just as much as coming down ;) I hope to begin my collection of road bikes in the future when I win the lottery--might as well start with a nice new Seven cycle ;-)

5. I believe in hard work, but also balance and purpose.
My young life was an annual schedule of strength and conditioning training for various athletics. My professional life started out as a laborer on a residential construction site; loading and unloading trucks, sweeping homes, moving building materials, and so forth. On the flip side, I've been prone to overuse injuries; most notably fractures in my feet. That is where I've learned the value of balance and purposeful effort--something that is an ongoing effort.

6. I consider myself an athlete.
Not a special one, but an athlete nonetheless. I played sports my entire life; soccer, basketball, football etc. Trail running, mountain biking, hiking, and lake and river swimming continue to be staples in my life. I have routinely raced on the Xterra outdoor series in South Carolina and Tennessee. I guess you could say that I believe in the motto, "keep moving." Stagnation makes me uncomfortable ;-)

7. I'm a morning person.
Not the most exciting guy on the social scene for sure. I don't get mixed up in the night life or the other stuff that goes with it. For me, a day well spent is one in which I can't wait to get a good nights sleep. I like to get to sleep at a decent hour and wake up with or before the sun. Most of my day happens in the early hours--the evening is meant for relaxation in my world!

8. I've been sleeping on an air mattress for going on six years!
I worked a traveling career with a General Contractor that had me moving states to follow work every six months to a year. After a move or two I learned that a nice air mattress and a folding plastic table were about all I needed to furnish my temporary places! I guess I became used to the air mattress and have since been sleeping wonderfully--and a bonus is that it can be packed neatly into a nice little duffle bag!

9. I can't stand being inside too long.
I like the windows open when I'm driving or when I'm in a house. Too much time inside with the bottled air drives me nuts! It doesn't matter if its a hundred degrees or twenty, I need to feel the air on my face and I'm perfectly happy dressing appropriately to handle the conditions. Outdoor living spaces are far more important to me than the size of the interior rooms!

10. I appreciate my Flickr contacts and their input.
I started Flickr and digital photography about three years ago and have since built a pretty sizeable network (in my personal opinion--more than I can handle!) of contacts and friends. I've had the pleasure of meeting multiple folks, both planned and unplanned, in the real world and have developed some good friendships. My Flickr friends and contacts have opened up lots of opportunities to travel and see local areas, as well as how to improve the many aspects of my photography. Your comments and input are always appreciated.

Keep trying; keep moving--do that which makes you happy. Cheers.

Uploads from Mark VanDyke Photography, tagged selfportrait

10 Things About Me