FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[Michael Shaw]

Greetings to all FMF members,

My name is Michael Shaw and I have been a regular participant of FMF since 2008. The Forum has provided a great deal of personal enjoyment for me during the past 6 years, especially the ability to become acquainted with other members and discuss our mutual passion for minerals.

While visiting Jordi’s room during the 2014 Tucson Show, Jordi approached me about helping out with the Forum, and asked if I would consider becoming a site administrator. I was certainly honored that he would ask, and of course I said yes. So, here I am about one month into the job, and Jordi suggested that it was time to introduce myself and let you know a little about my interests.

I first became interested in minerals at age 12, after visiting a mineral display at a museum in my hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. My early collection consisted mostly of self-collected minerals. Luckily, my parents were supportive and we visited and collected many localities throughout New England, New York, and Michigan, as well as Quebec and Ontario, Canada.

During my college years, I pursued a career in wildlife biology and after graduate school I worked for 30 years as a research biologist for a state conservation agency. My collection was largely dormant while I was in college, and it wasn’t until I moved to Oklahoma that I began collecting again. Those of you that have visited my collection thread know that my collection currently is not particularly specialized. I enjoy assembling suites of minerals from localities worldwide, although I place a particular emphasis on the southern Illinois fluorspar district, and the polymetallic mines of Romania and Bulgaria. I am also fascinated by pseudomorphs and have a sub-collection of these. My wife, Laura, started her own collection in 1992, and has built a nice collection of thumbnail minerals.

I look forward to assisting Jordi and the other administrators with the day to day activities of the Forum, and encourage those of you who visit regularly, but have not registered, to become more directly involved.

Michael Shaw
(crosstimber)

[Don Lum]

Michael,

Thank you for bringing your expertise and knowledge to The Forum.

I know Jordi appreciates your assistance.

Don

[arturo shaw]

Congrats, Michael

With that family name you will certainly be a superb site administrator ;-) Enjoy!

(And if I mention Laura Shaw at any moment I mean my daughter, not your wife)

Best

Arturo

[Jordi Fabre]

There are no words to describe how huge is the mistake of Michael accepting my proposal. The only reason I can find to explain such an error is a type of disease that unfortunately we suffer many who navigate through this forum: THE MINERALS! ;-) ;-)

[Roger Warin]

Hi Michael,
I'm glad you accepted the Jordi’s offer, an exceptional man.
Your story is a little mine, I've never specialized in one species but in the illustration of minerals I studied at university, admired in the textbooks. So I do not have a specialization, but I especially enjoy the crystallographic aspects of mineralogy and the relationship between the genesis of minerals and geology of the Earth's crust. This led me to prefer when minerals are from pegmatites.
Roger.

[Peter Megaw]

Welcome Aboard Michael...happy to have another set of strong shoulders to take on some of the load!

[Tobi]

Hey Michael,

thanks for supporting this forum as a new admin! Also thanks for telling us how you got involved into the mineral world: Visiting a mineral museum as a young boy - same story as mine :-)

Cheers!
Tobi

[supertxango]

Welcome Michael! It´s great you join the administrators group of FMF, a real achievement.

[John S. White]

Hi Michael. Delighted to have you with us. I am sure that Jordi will find a way to make you have second thoughts about that decision, he is a slave driver you know. In any case, I am sure that you will enjoy the experience and we will benefit greatly from your participation, as we actually already have.

John

[Ed Huskinson]

Welcome CROSSTIMBER!!

Happy to have you aboard as an administrator.

Ed in Kingman

[Pete Modreski]

One more "Welcome!", Michael, and thanks very much for your willingness to help Jordi with the Forum! It's much appreciated.

[Martin Rich]

Thank you Michael for supporting this great forum with your work!

Martin

[Pierre Joubert]

Welcome Michael! Your contributions are interesting and colourful. I am sure that you will be a great asset to the administration.

[John Medici]

Welcome Michael; we're all glad Jordi bent your arm!