Stan Wood's Bio Page

I'm a 51 year old guy. I live in Columbia, Missouri and used to work at CARES, at the University of Missouri. I'm unemployed right now.  I've lived in Columbia since 1963, when my family moved here. I own a house on 8th Street only 4 blocks from Broadway and within easy walking distance of the University. My brother Eric lives in the house next door on Rogers Street. My father Dr. Ray Wood, the famous Plains archaeologist, is a charter member of the MU Department of Anthropology, and although retired, he hasn't slowed down. My mother, Bonnie Heidy, has also retired from the University where she worked at University Extension and ran the Extension Publications Distribution Center.  Let's start at the beginning...

1974 - I began my (on and off) 21 year employment at the Heidelberg Restaurant (the 'Berg), 410 S. 9th St, Columbia, Mo.

1977 - Graduated from Hickman High School, Columbia, Missouri (barely).  I majored in Dungeons & Dragons (D&D).

1977 - Kim Palmer and I started the Derelict House tradition with our ratty apartment on Hitt St.

1977-78 - Disastrous first year at the University of Missouri. Dropped out because school interfered with D&D and the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA).

1979 - Was very involved in the local SCA group, the Shire of Standing Stones.  Did many wars and events.

1980 - I was promoted to the kitchen manager of the 'Berg. You can tell how much I liked that job, because then I...

1981 - ...Enlisted in the Army, and after Basic Training and Advance Individual Training, began serving in the US Army Reserve 102nd ARCOM as a 13 Bravo (that's Cannon Crewman to you civilians).  Served in Charlie ("C") Battery, 3/75th Field Artillery in Jefferson City, MO.

Began the Monday night tradition of D&D and other role-playing games at the 'Berg which continued until July 2000.

1982 - Went to Air Traffic Control school in Oklahoma City. Missed the graduation cut off score by 1.5%, so I got fired by the FAA.

1984 - I was promoted to Staff Sergeant (E6).

1985 - Went back to school part-time at Mizzou to complete my interrupted education.   At first I was contemplated a degree in Computer Science.  At the time, personal computers were actually becoming interesting (and affordable).  I quit the Heidelberg because they weren't too flexible (and neither was I) with my school hours, and went to live with my dad. Got my Award of Arms in the SCA. 

1986 - Started cooking at Ernie's Steakhouse in February.  It was my home away from the 'Berg for the next 5 years.

1989 - In January, I left the Army Reserve and joined the Missouri Army National Guard's 35th Infantry Division (Mech), Division Support Command (DISCOM). At the DISCOM, I was an intelligence sergeant until late 1991. Then they found someone better and kicked my fat ass out.  I'm not bitter though!

1991 - I earned a BA in geography from the University. My course work emphasized Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and computer-aided cartography. I began to work at the 'Berg again to pay for Monday night gaming.

1992-1995 -  Worked as a cook at the 'Berg and Ernie's Steakhouse and looked for GIS jobs in the local area.  Didn't find one until...

1995 - Finally.  I went work for the Center for Agricultural, Resource and Environmental Systems (CARES) as a Research Specialist (later re-classed as a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Specialist). CARES is a center within the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (CAFNR) at the University of Missouri - Columbia.  I began working at CARES in August and was finally able to leave the food service business. My professional vitae. In addition to maintaining data bases and digital map layers, I sometimes write the HTML for the CARES web site. 

My brother Eric and I bought the house on 8th Street (once known as the "Bone House" and previously the McCambridge Center for Women (I got mail for them for nearly 20 years after they moved!) this year and got a second house in the deal (on Rogers).  He moved next door to the new place and I eventually ended up with the old one.

1996 - Went to Palm Springs for the ESRI User Conference.

1997 - Had my first map published in a book; Dave Connett and I had our ESRI poster accepted for the 12th Annual ESRI Map Book.

1998 - Started this website and got my own Internet domain; eswood.com.  Bought the Honda 750 Shadow ACE at right.

1999 - Presented again at the ESRI User Conference. Earned my MCP certification.

2000 - My brother and I got our single lot re-platted into two, dividing the houses.  We refinanced and took out a construction loan to get new roofs, porches and siding.  See the before and after pictures here. Traded the old ACE in for a Honda 2000 Shadow Sabre 1100 at right.  My position at CARES was re-classed from GIS Specialist to Network Support Specialist II to better reflect the Systems Administration duties I was performing. Went on my first cruise to the western Caribbean, visiting Jamaica, the Grand Caymans and Mexico on the Carnival Celebration.

2001 - Re-classed again to Systems Administrator Specialist.  I started my cigar smoking hobby in January of 2001.  A year and a half later I had four humidors, three igloodors and nearly 4,000 cigars.

2002 - Did a second cruise in January, this time on the Celebrity ship Century to the eastern Caribbean including San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten and the Bahamas.  Spent a week in Las Vegas in July attending a tobacco trade show. 

2003 - Bought a car, a 1993 Chevy Caprice Classic from Jim Meyer.  The AC was too expensive for me to fix and a month later the radio died.

2004 - Got back into SCA joining the Incipient Shire of Amleth Moor and becoming the Web Minister.  I changed my SCA persona to Roibeard mac Auleth, and attended War College, Lilies 18 and Tribal Revelries.  That fall Tristram of Lindesfarne from Standing Stones won crown tourney fighting for Katherine Thorroffsdottir and thus the first Derelict ascended the Falcon Throne.

2005 - Increased activity in the SCA as the newly approved Shire of Amlesmore (new domain name too) held Coronation in the spring then it was off to Lilies again and I attended the Pennsic War (34), for the first time since Pennsic 13 (21 years ago).  Due to the influence of Kevin Goodwin's Tinder Box/Vino 100 store bringing in vast variety of single malt scotch, I began to collect single malts and indulge in scotch again.  Something I hadn't done since my days at the 'Berg in the early 80's under the tutelage of the late Jim Turpin.

2006 - Appointed the Web Minister for the Kingdom of Calontir.

2007 - Pretty uneventful year.

2008 - We got a new name at CARES (same acronym) but then I was laid off in December due to lack of grants and funds.  Actually a number of use were laid in 2008. 

2009 - Unemployed! Saved some money though and went on a two week trans-Atlantic cruise on the Voyager of the Seas in December.

What else does the future have to offer?