About Rick Towns

About Rick Towns

Rick's News [May 1/08]

I'm back in university (again!). After a botched attempt to get going, I've enrolled in Astronomy 210 at Athabasca University in Alberta and I've already got my course material! This should go a bit better than the finance course did!
I'm a cub leader! I finally got my interview, and have been welcomed as a leader of Barrie 4th Cubs - the oldest cub pack in the Simcoe/Georgian area! I've already got my uniform and went out last night and helped run the byclce rodeo - it was great fun!
The weight loss continues - I'm still focused on being healthy and making good decisions. I've been listening more to my wife and Paul McKenna - things are going great now!

Who is Rick Towns?
Hello everyone! Welcome to my little corner of the Internet. As you could tell, my name is Rick and I'm married to my beautiful wife April. We live in Barrie where we are raising our 3 sons and we both work for the local municipal government in the IT department. There's a lot going on in my life these days, and I will try and use these pages to keep those who care up-to-date on the events. The biggest things I'll be working on will be listed below in the Current Projects box and other news-worthy items will appear to the right in the News box. I'll also keep you in the loop on what I'm listening to and reading. I've got a blog on MSN's Live Spaces and you can read that for in-depth coverage of whatever squirrelly thing I might be working on this week. I've also got the venerable pennies page back up and running! There are a lot of coin collectors out there and I often get at least a few e-mails a month asking about Canadian pennies. Hey! You know what's missing? Something regarding my telescope collection that continues to grow and grow! I'll have to add that link soon. If you feel like it, drop me a line at rick@deepskies.com because I'd love to hear from you!

Guest Speaker
I have been going out fairly frequently to meet with Girl Guides and Scout troupes in my local area and giving the kids a little presentation on astronomy. Most guiding groups have an astronomy badge and my presentation helps the kids figure out the requirements and assists them in getting started. I've also spoken to other public groups and my latest was some presentations at the Simcoe County Museum to help the celebrate their StarLab display that they had on loan from the Royal Ontario Museum. If you've got a group that would like to hear a presentation on astronomy, let me know and we can probably arrange something!

Published Author
In February 2007, I was fortunate enough to have an article of mine included in a publication by the Oxford University Press. It is entitled The Oxford Companion to World Exploration. In volume 2, I have a short article on the Soviet Shuttle program of the 1980's called Buran. I was actually paid by Oxford for the article - I guess that makes me a professional writer! Ha ha! Anyway, it was a fantastic opportunity, and I look forward to writing some additional space/astronomy related articles in the future.

Current Projects

Wolf Cub Leader - I'm the newest leader of the 4th Wolf Cub Pack in Barrie where my oldest son Isaac is a wolf cub! In the fall, I'll also have Lukey in my pack, and little Aaron will be going into 4th Barrie Beavers!
Bachelor of Science Degree - I am attending Athabasca University via their "Distance Learning" program to get my degree. I am in the science program and am working towards my B.Sc. Currently working on Astronomy 210!
Getting healthy - Okay, eating like a thin man appears to be working for me (see my Blog for more info). I'm hoping to run another half marathon sometime this year!
10K Fun Run - I'm rejoining my friends at the City of Barrie for a 10 kilometer fun run along the lakshore. I've been getting myself up to speed on the treadmill and doing road work when the weather permits.

Rick's Film Strip

Aaron and Isaac

Me and Cyn in a pram!

Dad with the Hemi cruiser

Wee Isaac

Isaac in flowers

Luke in his Wellies!

Mom as a youngster

My sisters Sheri and Cyn

April with her parents