Subject areas and interests
I would be happy – and feel qualified - to undertake work in the following subject areas, not all of which may be represented in the list of recently indexed publications:
Astronomy and Cosmology
My favourite area. Everything from using webcams for amateur observations and histories of spaceflight to the predictions of superstring theory about possible parallel universes fascinates me.
Practically, Skye isn't an ideal place for stargazing: the seeing is excellent, when it's not cloudy or too windy to keep the 'scope steady, but we don’t get such a wide range of stars as people further south and, from April to September, it doesn't even get properly dark!
Organic Chemistry / Climate Change / General and Popular Science
My first degree (a Lower Second - a grade that was good enough for Albert Einstein ;-) was in Chemistry - but I have maintained an interest in all the Sciences, my working life having coincided with thrilling revolutions in the fields of Biology, Geology and Astronomy and spectacular progress in most of the others.
Mountaineering and Outdoor Activities
Just to establish that I speak the language, I have many years experience of mountaineering in Britain and spent ten memorable summers in the Alps, making guideless ascents of seven 4,000-metre summits. Skye offers some exciting mountains not quite reaching 1000 metres, when work allows me time to visit them… Anyway, I know that abseiling is the same as rapelling; that using bolts is ethically very different from using nuts and that a 'flexible friend' isn't just a credit card.
Anyone who doesn't isn't likely to make a good job of indexing your climbing guides.
Information Technology, Information Science and Image Processing
My career virtually spans the use of computers for textual information processing and communication and my MSc (in Information Studies at Sheffield) included a very modest contribution to early research on automatic indexing. It's the human interaction with computers that really interests me - especially the Internet and its implications for education and participative democracy - although, after ten years working in IT and three spent indexing in-house for a specialist IT publisher, I have become familiar with most modern computer technologies. I'm even married to an ex-IT Business Consultant. She now teaches Egyptian dance though...
Also, like many indexers, I've served my time as a librarian (in a number of FTSE100 companies in the high technology sector) and I am also a keen photographer (which has persuaded me to index quite a few books on Adobe PhotoShop).
Gastronomy and Wine appreciation
We eat and drink as well as anyone on an indexer's income can, and I have been passionate - hopefully knowledgeable too - about fine wine, particularly, for forty years.
Local Studies
Since moving to Skye, I have tried to absorb all that I can of local history and traditions. I don’t play the bagpipes or wear a kilt and know very few words of Gaelic but I'm keen to index local-interest books.