Thanks to 113 subscribers, from 27 US States and 10 countries, and everyone else who’s driven The Geologic Column to about 2700 views in the past month. I really appreciate your interest! It motivates me!
I took my title unabashedly from The Geologic Column written for decades by Robert L. Bates (1912-1994), Geologist and Professor at The Ohio State University. First as Geology in the Public Eye (1955-1965) and then as The Geologic Column (1966-1987), Bates’ monthly commentary on the last page of Geotimes, published by the American Geological Institute, became an institution itself, the first page I turned to when the magazine arrived. Witty, punny, and informative, it focused on geoscience writing but also took gentle aim at the entrenched establishment in the geologic profession and instructed aspiring geoscientists including me. I owe Bates and his column for much more than the title of my series here.
If you are interested in more of my background, you can check the About page linked at the top menu. My goal at this point in my career and life is to bring some of the wonders of geology to interested non-specialists. I know I pitch it at a pretty technical level, but if I fail to explain things comprehensibly, please ask questions!
My self-imposed “rules” for these posts – and I don’t necessarily follow them absolutely – is that they should be based on things in my own collections (minerals, old books, stamps, etc.), or on places I’ve visited (ideally with my own photos to illustrate them), or places where I’ve done some geologic work (often office work using geophysical data). I certainly use imagery, reports, and diagrams from others to help with the explanations, I hope giving all appropriate credit. I try to find public domain or creative commons materials, and if you see me use something without proper attribution, please point it out. I’m sensitive to copyright.
I have no plan to ever make The Geologic Column into a paid newsletter. I like money as much as the next guy but I’m mostly in it for the joy of sharing – and it’s important to realize that I do it, do the research, as much for me to learn things as for any other reason. Whether it’s exploring surface textures on a mineral specimen or digging into modern interpretations of the tectonics of Antarctica, my very selfish motivation is to learn about the earth. But someday if I can figure out how to do it, I might add a “tip jar” to the Column.
Thanks again for your interest and support!