Gordon Bowers
1) What is your name? Please feel free to include any known nicknames held during your time at U of S or otherwise.
Gordon Bowers, but most people knew me as Gord or Anvil (thank god Bundy didn't catch on)
2) What year did you graduate and/or leave the Ore Gangue?
Like too many other ganguesters I graduated in 1987 but did not leave the Ore Gangue for several years, until 1994.
3) What were your favorite class and/or professor?
Dr. Braun was my definite favorite, maybe because he knew I was a B- student and graded me accordingly, even when I performed in the C's, but Mel is a sentimental favorite for his really bad puns and terrible pictures of dykes (or is that dikes?) But my favorite class had to be the Zortman trip. Who can complain about cheep American beer, the great outdoors, crazy Americans with 12 wheel drive army surplus vehicles and, biscuits and gravy?
4) Were you ever a member of the Executive, if so, which one?
These dates are approximate because most of my memories from this time have had to be reconstituted using 21st century technology... 1986-87 Vice President, 1987-88 President, 1988-89 Year Book Editor.
5) Did you ever win any Ore Gangue awards?
I won the 1987 and 1988 President's Award.
6) What is your favorite “PG rated” memory of the Ore Gangue (award, field trip, conference, lounge, party, etc)?
There are far too many for this limited space but some of the best and foggiest always seemed to involve outbreaks of random toe sucking. I was fortunate to have gone on two spring break trips to the US, one in 1986 (I think???? Remember my reconstituted memories) to the Texas gulf coast. I remember the Gangue attending the grand opening of the only non-country bar in Corpus Christi and a ganguester who shall remain nameless standing in line to buy $3 shots from a scantily clad barbourette when he could have been drinking 50 cent beer. At least he stayed passed out the next day on the crew boat to the production platform in 12 foot seas when everyone else was puking their guts out overboard. The second trip may have been in 1992 or 93 to the US southwest with a younger OG generation. Getting summarily escorted from a Las Vegas casino on an impromptu side trip had to be the highlight of that trip. At least we were wearing our gangue green leathers at the time.
7) If you could be a rock, what kind would you be and why?
I only know that I don't want to be the kind of a rock that is invaded by post- imperialist armies that don't know that the age of imperialism ended 30 years ago when they lost to guerillas in Vietnam!
8) What type of beer did you drink during your good old days?
Molgen Golgen, or Pil, but mostly home brew during the latter years.
9) If you could sum up your university career with one bar, which one would it be?
Louis', especially Fridays after Les Coleman's lab when you really needed a drink.
10) Did you attend any WIUGCs? Did you ever present anything at a WIUGC?
You know that you have attended too many WIUGCs when you have been to more than one in the same city. I did present in Winnipeg in maybe 1992 (that memory thing again) when they tried desperately to do away with the bun fight. Brent Jellicoe valiantly took charge and thus was instigated the one and only sugar packet fight that I know of. The best bun fight ever was in Vancouver (I think), broken chandelier and all.
11) What was the best Ore Gangue event ever?
In my mind the best event ever occurred between 1984 and 1989. It was the best party I have ever attended. 1991 to 93 was pretty good too.
12) Which member of the boat race team are you?
I always wanted to be anchor, but I was about 1/100 of a second slower than Brent Jellicoe and about 0.5 second slower than Jill Fogel.
13) Do you have any advice for the young geoscientists out there?
Get out while you still have a chance, unless you are really sick and don't have a choice. Surely you can transfer some of your credits to engineering or education or something.
14) If you had to do it all over again, would you?
Again?... I am still working on this go around. Don't tell me it's over yet!
15) What is your current job description, aka who do you work for (and does it keep beer on the table)?
I am a Registered Geologist working for the Kentucky Division of Mine Reclamation and Enforcement in London, Kentucky. I investigate possible impacts to ground and surface water by coal mining activities, mostly in eastern Kentucky, but occasionally in western Kentucky. It does keep beer on the table, but I have to make it myself because I live in a dry county surrounded by dry counties!
16) Who would you love to see attend the 75th Reunion, and why?
Matte Reese, if you know him you know why, and if you don't, make sure you meet him before it is all over. Bob Gerhardt, Mike Kamerovich, and really everyone I graduated with. Lots of others from later generations like Darrin and Lyndon, they are Geo-eng's but don't hold it against them, they are ganguesters to the core. And don't forget the original Mascot, Don Chipley.
