Dana is interested in everything. Well, almost.
Who is Dana? Or is it Sean? Or Shawn?
In the U.S., people call me by my first name Dana, but overseas most people use my middle name Sean, usually spelled “Shawn” to make the pronunciation clear for my Asian friends who are not familiar with the Scottish/Irish spelling.
I would rather take time to learn about someone else’s life than talk about my own. But here is a little insight into why I like to write articles on a variety of topics and share them with you….
Ideal Kansas Upbringing
I was born and raised in a city in western Kansas. The area was settled mostly by hard-working ethnic Germans (via the Volga River fertile plains of Russia). Growing up in this place was ideal.
- I lived next to the countryside, where I could play and tromp around on a daily basis — great for the body and soul.
- The state university located in the city was a cutting-edge, hi-tech institution that provided many learning and development opportunities for people of all ages.
- The location was smack in the middle of the United States, making it ideal for travel in any direction.
- There were four distinct seasons with distinct weather patterns and feelings and festivals. That reinforced a healthy mind and emotions, because our inner being also operates in seasonal patterns.
A group of professional international photographers voted that Kansas has the most beautiful sunsets in the world. To this day, when I visit Kansas, I like to go outside at sundown and stare in awe at the sunset mixes of blue, purple, orange, and red.
Storms! We Kansans love a good spring/summer storm — the smell of the ionized air; the sunlight filtering through hazy gaps in clouds; the fresh breeze that comes with a sudden temperature drop. Neighbors used to gather in my family’s backyard to watch tornadoes.
After high school, I became a storm spotter. Storm spotters monitored the weather when a storm front was approaching, and used 2-way radios to warn of any dangers such as hail or tornadoes
I think that growing up on the high plains tends to give a person a desire for exploration and an exciting feeling about the wonders of nature.
Learning, and Enjoying the Outdoors
When I was growing up, I was outdoors all the time….until my dad bought a computer for the family. Then I began to stay indoors more and more, learning how to use software and writing basic computer programs. Now, I enjoy the best of both worlds.
My dad took the family on long summer road trips every year, so I saw most of the states in the U.S.A. Those were great learning experiences. We learned about history and different kinds of people, and we saw the beauty and splendor of nature.
Helping people reach their full potential
Everyone is a teacher throughout life — to their children, to their friends, even to strangers. My teaching specialty is to help people find their talents and hidden abilities, and then to push them in the right direction.
Seeing people achieve their dreams is exciting and fulfilling. One of the saddest things is to see people with oceans of unfulfilled potential.
Pictured here is a young Dana with an Italian Air Force pilot who was training at Shephard Air Force Base in Texas. Behind us is an F-16, the best air-superiority fighter in the world, designed by the team of the largely unknown genius John Boyd.
Enjoying new cultures
Look at the “wow”-inspiring photo of the Pingshi Lantern Festival in Taiwan, where I lived for eight years. Living in a foreign country provides exciting challenges.
I have been fortunate to see amazing places and sights in Asia, Middle East, and Europe.
Science, Technology, Archaeology
The universe and humanity are endlessly interesting. In the last twenty years, researchers have pushed deep into the mysteries of two extremes — the gigantic outer realm of astrophysics, and the hidden inner realm of cellular biology.
Global archaeological discoveries have exploded in the last ten to twenty years. Mainstream-accepted ideas of past civilizations are being turned on their heads in a number of areas.
Of course, we live in a technology-focused world. The tools and devices that companies are creating now were dreams of science fiction a few decades ago.
Let’s learn about this fascinating world together.
history and the lessons it teaches
My dad was a history professor (and then a university administrator), and all of his sons developed a love of learning history. History is simply the stories of people. What people have accomplished in real life is more amazing — and more strange — than anything a Hollywood movie can make up.
I have studied the American Civil War and World War 2 since childhood, mostly through books and articles, but also from visiting many battle sites. Take a look at this famous American painting of President Lincoln meeting with Generals Grant and Sherman.
Photography
My dad was an avid photographer specializing in macro photos of flowers. He gave me his old Canon AE-1 camera when I was a teenager. The camera had only a prime lens, a 50mm. This was great for me — teaching me to use my feet and to frame shots well.
When I lived in Taiwan, I got hooked on street photography and travel photography. I also enjoy night photography and capturing beautiful landscapes.
My go-to camera is the Fuji X-T3, and my backup/pocket camera is the Canon G7-X Mark III (shown in the black and white image). For streaming and making videos, I prefer the Canon M6 or Canon M50.
At one time I thought about becoming a travel photographer and travel writer. But alas, no.
You can find some useful photography information and guides on the Useful Guides page.
Sports and Recreation
When I was 15, I was almost killed in a bike accident that crushed my fifth cervical vertebrae. It became more difficult to engage in strenuous activity through the years. But I like to enjoy activities whenever I am able to: volleyball, martial arts, throwing a football or baseball.
Bowling is a fun and relaxing activity for small groups of friends….though I haven’t bowled for a long time.
Sorry for the rear view in the photo.
Humor
Life is serious. So, humor — which is part of life — is a serious thing.
Humor is a gentle rain on a hot day, a salve on an abrasion. Humor greases the wheels of tedious work, and changes tense meetings of closed-up employees into productive dialogues among friends.
Below is a humorous audio I had made to introduce my website in a humorous way. My original idea was to put it high up on the homepage, but later I thought it would probably give the website an overly frivolous feeling. (Humor and frivolity are not the same thing, and are sometimes confused.) So, here it is at the bottom of my self-intro page:
Jack of MANY trades, master of SOME.
Feet on solid ground; eyes on the skies and distant stars.
