Expanded Resume of Christopher Lane Chandler This expanded resume was created as part of my Master's degree program. It represents my academic and career history up until that time (February 1999). I am still pursuing a career in information technology. My academic studies have mainly benefitted my personal pursuits and, at best, secondarily my career at this point. Pursuing a career in information technology. Self-taught web page editor and game programmer. This entire site testifies to my abilities as they are currently developed.

Table of Contents

Personal Data

Honors and Awards

Educational Background

October 1995 - Now
Master of Arts in Whole Systems Design @ Antioch University Seattle

This master's degree program intends a self-directed, whole-person approach to creatively designing complex, interconnected systems. My own application of this is toward the development of my personal academic interests in terms of an 'academic self'. My interests are focused on the philosophical question of the mind-body problem. My approach to an understanding of this problem is through the study of the relationship between science and myth.

September 1989 - June 1991
Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts @ The Evergreen State College

Upper division courses included the following topics: experimental design, cognitive psychology, neurobiology, philosophy, physics, mathematics. I also studied creative writing, opera and Zen literature.

September 1986 - April 1988
Majored in Physics and Mathematics @ University of Portland

I also studied philosophy, theology, chemistry, political science, music performance and issues of world peace.

Academic References

Employment Background

September 1998 - January 1999 Farm Caretaker @ The McVickarage Maintain adequate water supply to plants and animals on a small farm. Do other jobs as needed.

June 1997 - September 1998
Computer Lab Consultant @ Antioch University Seattle

September 1995 - September 1998
Receptionist/Data Entry Clerk @ Antioch University Seattle

Job References

Learnings and Experiences

Computers

High School Computer Programming - Apple II

Learning

~ Basic
~ Pascal

Experience

I received a certificate of appreciation for a program that I wrote in Pascal that computed the winning team of a "acceleration contest" at the 1986 Northwest Science Exposition. The program was so large (for the Apple II) that my instructor had to compile it as two separate files. I have a letter stating that the program ran without error.

Self-Taught Computer Programming - IBM PC compatible

Learning

C and C++ (Turbo C++ v3.0)

Experience

~ I wrote a program that graphically displays the Mandelbrot set based on a footnote in James Gleick's Chaos that explained the reiterative equation that generates it.
~ I have compiled a game program that involves two players who shoot subatomic particles at each other. Using classical laws of force and motion, the program currently allows the players to shoot electrons and protons. I chose initial energies for the particles and the scale of the playing field so that they could move at humanly manageable speeds across the screen. A player's score is based on how many particles he or she can get to pass his opponent's boundary. It is interesting to watch the particles (up to ten on my computer before processing speed limitations start chopping up the animation) attract and repel each other. I think it will need some more conceptual work (and a greater variety of particles), however, to make it really fun.
~ For an independent study on the science of complex adaptive systems I did in my master's degree program, I designed, coded and compiled a simple genetic algorithm. It models the following conceptual scenario: once every generation there is a party (of, apparently, a species of single sex). The program evaluates the compatibility of each potential pair of party-goers. What is compared are their genes which are any number of groups of four-digit binary numbers (sixteen possible numbers) or chromosomes. Each chromosome is displayed as one of sixteen colors on the screen so party-goers are distinguished by a series of n color squares in a particular order that amount to their genetic material. Party-goers who are found by the program to be more generally compatible with others receive more points. Later a lottery occurs with each party-goer getting as many tickets as they have points. Those who are drawn get to reproduce. The lottery continues (and the one night stands) until a new generation is created to replace exactly the number in the original generation. Such genetic possibilities as crossover and mutation are calculated as well. Then the whole process repeats itself when the new generation has its own party. I am not certain that this model displayed behavior truly compatible with a complex adaptive system, but I did learn a great deal about what is involved in research on complex adaptive systems.

Self-Taught Graphics Design

Learning

~ CorelDRAW! 3.0
~ Image Scanning and Editing

Experience

I drew a design for a large mandala that I am now cross-stitching (see Dream Work below). I used CorelDRAW! for two reasons: 1) its 'snap-to-grid' allowed me to design the image to be readily translated onto the cross-stitching cloth and its grid of holes through which the embroidery floss is threaded and 2) using CorelDRAW!'s, then, innovative object drawing format, I was able to easily change the colors of the various objects in the image in order to quickly judge what shades worked well together.

Self-Taught Music Sequencing

Learning

Trax (sequencing software)

Experience

In the last year or so, I have finally been able to accomplish a long-time dream of composing my own music (see Music below). With my keyboard connected to my computer I have been able to create percussion, keyboard and other electronic instrument tracks together into full instrumental songs. My first accomplishment was a remake of a song called "Looking Around" by Yes (see my web page 'Music Hall'). My first original song "Near To Me" is now complete and a second one "Fanfare" is well on its way. Just visit the Music Hall to hear some of my music.

Web Page Design

Learning

~ HTML
~ HotDog Pro 4.54 (web site editor)

Experience

For the last half year I have been regularly maintaining and adding to my personal web site. My intention is to make it an accessible representation of my life's work. My first page in addition to my home page was a simpler form of this resume. Indeed, the whole site is really an amplification of this expanded resume and will become more so as I continue my personal and professional creative and academic work.

Dream Work

Learning

~ Dream Journaling - daily since February 1996
~ Mandala Making
~ Self-Knowledge
~ Creative Inspiration

Experience

~ I have discovered that on most mornings, along with remembering my dreams, I have a song running through my head. I have taken to keeping track of these songs as well. I can oftentimes perceive how these songs relate to that night's dream experiences.
~ I am currently working on a cross-stitching project the design of which is a mandala containing images based on themes from my dream experiences. Although the work of design is done, it continues to provide me with a meditative activity filled with personal, spiritual meaning. This object is the most comprehensively personal object that I have ever created.
~ In the sense of Jungian psychology, I have met and established a relationship with two inner characters that I consider integral components of my personality.
~ My first original song was inspired by a melody I heard in a dream. You can hear it at Music Hall.

Music

Learning

~ Drums
~ Piano
~ Songwriting

Experience

~ In my junior year in high school two friends and I who had been playing together in a heavy metal band decided to work on one song for the talent show. We played "Smoke on the Water", unfortunately without a singer, but it went over well. A girl fell in love with me watching me play the drums. Our band with an additional member, also played the latter half of a junior high school dance.
~ In my senior year in high school I performed an original piano solo piece I made for the occassion. I was a nervous wreck the whole week beforehand. No one fell in love with me that time as far as I know although the performance went well.
~ I had the pleasure of creating a piano accompaniment to a song written by a singer-guitarist named Eric 4A. He had me come into a recording studio to have the piano added to his already completed song. Unfortunately the key I was used to was wrong and I hadn't realized that the space for my solo was fixed. So I had to learn my part quickly in the new key and shorten my solo, all on valuable studio time. I got through it in the end, and, except for one little spot where I can here my uncertainty clearly, the song and recording sound very good.
~ I have put together my own little band out of a Yamaha DX7 keyboard, my computer (including a Yamaha "daughter board") and some software (see Computers : Self-Taught Music Sequencing above). My completed songs are published on my own site in RealPlayer format.

Travel

Learning

~ Car-based Camping
~ Bicycle-based Camping
~ Photography
~ Creative Writing

Experience

~ My wife at the time and I went on a four-month bicycle tour of the Pacific Coast. We put all of our possessions in storage and took everything we needed on our two mountain bikes. We stayed almost every night in a campground through the rain and sun. Along the way I tried to write haiku. We met a wonderful couple from Australia as well and travelled with them for awhile. In the end we grew weary and intimidated by the callous driving habits of Californians along Highway 1 north of San Francisco. Our trip ended at Stewart's Point in Sonoma County where we hitched a ride into Santa Rosa.
~ My best friend and I went on a six week driving tour of selected National Parks of the U.S. We picked seven parks based on their diversity of natural habitat. We made no sightseeing stops in-between, which was a great way to make good time and relax. We stayed about three days at each park. We discovered first hand how hot and mosquito-y the Everglades were in August and promptly left at 2:30am.
~ I have taken to satisfying my urge to capture the beauty of the natural world on my various travels by taking photographs. The better results can be seen on in my Photo Gallery.
~ I have attempted to tap into the inspiration that travel inspires in me toward creativity. I have experimented with writing in various forms both during and after a travel experience. I believe that it is as much the temporary change of life style as anything else that stirs up one's more intense creative juices which tend settle down into relative inactivity in an otherwise habituated lifestyle. Travel allows us to consider new potentials in our life including work, relationships and beliefs.

Tutoring

Learning

~ Problem solving techniques
~ School survival strategies
~ Tutoring as rich interpersonal relationship

Experience

~ At my first tutoring experience through the University of Portland Office of Volunteer Services, I remember working with a sixth grade student who was generally uninspired in our after school tutoring sessions. In fact, he was quiet and bored. I decided to throw out the book (so to speak) and just figure out what he was into. It was basketball. We found a book on Wilt Chamberlain in the library (where we met for tutoring). I remember a game we played with the globe. I asked him where some place was, and it seemed he knew most of the answers. We didn't much school work accomplished, but since that experience I have been certain of the value of personal inspiration as a vital component of learning.

~ I remember, with satisfaction, refusing to simply do the calculus problems for the students in my Physical Systems class at The Evergreen State College (with my instructors support). I had already taken calculus courses at my previous university, so I became the tutor for this component of the class. I would stand in front of the chalk board and ask questions and provide hints and sometimes face the unknown together with the students as a group. Unfortunately the teacher eventually provided worked out answers and, as I recall, this may have significantly reduced participation in my tutoring sessions.

~ The only time I have really pursued developing my own business were those times when I marketed myself as a tutor. I worked with a grade school student in his home for about two months once a week. Another time I met with two college students who came to my home. It was exhausting to undertake this side business while pursuing my personal studies and working full-time so these endeavors were short lived.

Writing

Learning

~ Short Stories
~ Fictional Science
~ Philosophy
~ Travel Writing
~ Poetry

Experience

~ In order to inspire myself to complete a research report assignment in my college Chemistry course, I took it upon myself to write a fictional story that parallelled the scientific content of my selected topic, photosynthesis. Interspersed with a report on the process of photosynthesis were sections of a fictional story about the photons Joe and Flash who experienced photosynthesis together. I got a B since I did not use as many journal references as I was supposed to.
~ I have found great personal inspiration in creatively rewriting mythic stories in my own words. I have taken the first few stories in the Bible as models for my own version of the creation and the fall, etc. I have also rewritten the beginning of Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur adding plot twists and character development as I felt inspired to. I found that directly borrowing from the plot lines of myth has inspired me and freed me somewhat from my difficulties with generating action in a story.
~ I have experimented with finding optimal relationships between travelling and the creative inspiration that it invokes. I have made time while I am in a new place to sit quietly, soak in the space and write. I completed a travel sketch after the form of Baso. This form involves a series of haiku with brief prose passages in between. I compose a haiku for each place I stayed in trying to capture some aspect of that experience.
~ I have written, as a kind of master's thesis, an article exploring my understanding of the mind-body problem of Western philosophy. This article represents some of my deepest insights and personal interests and has served to crystalize the nature of my life career goals. This article is published on my site.