February Featured User – Rob Nock!
Hey Community Members!
It’s been a long time overdue, but we’d like to finally announce our next Featured User of the Month. Let’s congratulate Rob Nock! He’s been with Answers since May 2007.
In Rob’s Own Words…
“My wife and I live in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, USA along with our son Eric and his dachshund, Thor. We relocated to this area nearly twenty-five years ago so that my wife, who is an optometrist, could take over the private practice of an eye doctor who intended to retire.”
“Bloomsburg (population approximately 12,000, not counting the student population) is the county seat of Columbia County, Pennsylvania, and home to Bloomsburg University. The University is now the largest employer in the town and a major economic force in the area.”
Bloomsburg Town Square
“[Bloomsburg] is also home to the largest annual fair in the state. It is used throughout the year for a variety of events – antique car shows, horse shows, trade shows and competitions to name a few. The main, week long event, held each fall in late September ~ early October is The Bloomsburg Fair. Daily attendance is often in excess of 100,000 persons.”
The 2010 Bloomsburg Fair
Rob’s Past
“I grew up in what was then a rural area of Pennsylvania about 35 miles outside of Philadelphia during the post World War II era, an early member of the “baby boom”. When I graduated from high school in 1965 I enlisted in the U.S. Army and spent the next four years training for a highly classified Military Intelligence position and then serving outside the United States. It was at this time that I began pursuing my lifelong interest in photography. As a result of my photographic skills, security clearance and posting in an area near the German-Czech border I was asked to photograph classified response efforts of the Soviet incursion in Czechoslovakia in the Summer of 1968.”
Rob's Victorian Home & Wife's Optometry Practice
“After leaving the military service in 1969, I settled with my (now ex) wife and our young son in my home town. I began working as a camera salesman for a specialty retail chain. An unfortunate accident took the life of our son in 1972 and our marriage never recovered from the loss, in 1974 my ex moved to California and eventually divorced me.”
“In January of 1980 I began working as a computer programmer and, after a few bumps, began to advance in my career as a programmer analyst. In 1986 I met an optometry student named Betsy and in November of 1987 we were married.”
“In the early ’90s I became a self employed programmer analyst taking contracts with various companies. I continued that business until 2001 when Betsy and I adopted our son.”
Eric & Thor
“In 2006, I was diagnosed with cancer and began chemo-therapy but an associate from my contracting days helped me land a position that allowed me to work from home most of the time and by the time I finished chemo therapy and the contract was expiring I was hired for another contract as a tech support specialist working from home.”
“From 2008 onwards technology jobs became more difficult to find, so when I became eligible for Social Security retirement benefits I applied and since that time have been devoting my time to photography in the hopes of running a Photography Studio as a retirement business.”
Meet Rob!
Rob & Answers
“I do not remember the exact specifics of hearing about Y! Answers but I remember being aware of it before I started participating. I believe I heard about it from one or two of the Yahoo camera/photography groups that I was active with.”
“I believe my first answer was this question about chemical photography vs: digital photography”
What about chemical photography?
“My favorite categories have to do with cameras and photography but I also like to answer questions about computer hardware and software, politics, U.S. History (especially the Civil War and 20th Century/WW II), movies, and relationships. I will also answer questions in word games, art, music or other categories if I see a question that piques my interest and I feel qualified to answer.”
“I prefer to give a few high quality answers, particularly when I see answers to a question that give incomplete, misleading or inaccurate explanations. If I disagree with someone or they disagree with me I hope to respond in a pleasant and respectful manner. If I am treated disrespectfully I tend to have pretty thick skin and will give people the benefit of the doubt that they are either having a “bad hair day” or have misunderstood a concept or point.”
Rob’s Free Time
“Besides working on Y! Answers I am starting my business as a semi-pro photographer. I also maintain the household, serve as the family cook, teach Sunday School and volunteer for various community services such as: Red Cross Meal On Wheels every 7~9 weeks; volunteer at a unique local service organization called “Agape” where I work most Thursdays as a volunteer chef/food coordinator serving a community meal. I also serve as a Cub Scout volunteer leader (and soon to be Boy Scout leader) for one of the local Pack/Troops and a volunteer counselor at Cub/Boy Scout Summer Camps; and do numerous activities for our local Episcopal church congregation.”
Thanks for reading,
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Congratulations (((( Rob ))))
You are so worthy of this for your answers and contribution to Yahoo! Answers.
Really fascinating blog here and lovely to read
.
Congratulations!
Congrats Rob!! I don’t get it though. I’ve been a member since 2006. A million accounts since then, but I’m sure yahoo could track it all the way to then. Nice blog.
Hey (((Rob)))
Congrats on being chosen as a Y!A “Featured User”
You are a Treasure, and I luv ya!
~V
Wow, this guy have been there, done that.
Way to Go Rob!
Congratulations, Rob. Where do you find the time for all that? and still fit in quality work at Answers? Great to see you getting this recognition.
Congrats Rob
congrats on being selected was interesting to read about such an active productive life
congratulations sir!!!
))
i love ur house and ur phtography is pretty amazing..
i gather u like making flaws disappear and brightens the already bright..
best wishz
Rob, your recognition by Y!A is well deserved. You have gone through so much in your life, things which would make some people bitter and resentful, but not you. Your generosity and positive outlook is reflected in your enthusiasm for helping other via Y!A. Well done, can’t think of a better recipient.
congrats mike on your wife’s birth.
i believe your baby’s hiccups is caused by the contraction and relaxation of her stomach walls-leading to expansion of the stomach and increasing the child’s capacity to take in more food…just get a piece of probably white thread and put it on her head…and it should stop.
once more congratulatons on the new addition to the family
Great article, and I think it’s very nice to acknowledge the people who keep this website going by contributing their questions and answers within the Yahoo Answers community…
However, for those of us who are new and also the members who just don’t know about the opportunity to be featured, I think it should have been mentioned somewhere in this article exactly how a Yahoo Answers member becomes featured, and how it benefits members to become featured.
It would be a great way to motivate more people to become active and respected members of Yahoo Answers… Perhaps you could update the article with such information, or make it known and easily found with a link to a page with this information somewhere on the main pages of Yahoo Answers..?
Have A Great Weekend,
— Phillip Brunelle
Your city looks beautiful! Congrats on the recognition!
Rob, thanks for the additive, sounds like a full life, & I shall remember you tonight in my prayers, as I enjoy being a prayer warrior myself, and even have a family member right now going through the Cancer thing. God Bless, & keep the faith…”ydpw+” *(means your daily prayer warrior) PLUS, hope more people become one, as I get feedback, it seems to help them after I offer this privilege from God. They do get back to me on that.
I love this ‘Meet The User’ feature because it’s so much fun to see the faces and read the stories behind the usernames. Great story!
Gorgeous home and beautiful photography. Those photos REALLY make me miss Pennsylvania!
Thank you all for your kind regards.
Anyone else notice that Y!A only picks users of the month that have been on here for over 2 years?
Good job Rob, helping people is always useful even just with answer a question
Congratulations and well deserved.Interesting blog to me.I also left service in 69. USMC for 3 yrs and 16 months in Nam.I became a Lab Tech in Optical Co and Lab manager . Worked for company for 43 yrs and they folded in 2010 and I to went on SS.You are most deserving.
Congratulations. An interesting little read, I’m tempted to say a bit high brow for Yahoo Answers but that would be unfair : ) Now back to “Can dogs really fly or is it an urban legend?” and “If I don’t wash for a month what happens?” Oh yes.
True Survivor Story and congrats. Wishing you the best on your continued journey and all the happiness and peace life can bring to you and your family.
Thanks for sharing with us and I love your photos. They are beautiful and wonderful. Keep up your good work and wish you success with your new business.
Awesome Rob!
Nice home btw
Hi Sir Rob! Congratulations for being featured here in Yahoo!
Keep it up.
You’re such an inspiration.
Congratulations Rob! I think you live a great life, keep enjoying it!
Congrats!!! sir great work… I like your house very much. I wish to get like that one ha ha ha…..
You are a great example for rest of us Rob. Keep doing the same in the future and being yourself in everithing you do.
This is my first time on this blog on yahoo and to see this posted about you gave me a good feeling inside. You are a wonderful person and very good at righting and photography. Congrattulations and Thank You for sharing.
superb n congrate Rob
Congrats robbie
Congrats rob!!!!!!
I love your house btw..:)
Really interesting blog!!! I am `18 and about to attend university in the UK. I want to be a photographer. Can u give me any good tips????
Thnx!
Hello what is this are u taking pictures okay very cool
WOOOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dats sooo beautiful.
Man I’d love to live there.
Thanx for the photos.
Keep it up and gud luck!
ONE THING I HONOUR YOU FOR IS:SENSE OF HUMOUR AND CARING SPIRIT FULL OF ASPIRATIONS TO ENCOURAGE AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHERWISE. BRIAN WILLIAMS
Congrats Man.
Congrats Rob
I <3 your photos !!!! Reallyyyy inspiring!!! Keep up the good work!!!
Congratulations!
You deserved Featured User Award for the valuable answers to the community. Your photos are amazing and terrific too. Keep going..Rob.
Good job,congrats!
Inspired by your blog. Thank you for sharing and caring! Look forward to learn more about your photography as I love to capture the moment as well.
Congratulations!
You deserve it Rob!
Beautiful and inspiring photos.
Keep up the good<GREAT work!
-T
Grate cortical. It is so helpful.
Congratulation!
Wow Rob, you are the person who inspiring me to make my wish ‘to be a photographer’ fulfill. Thanks for your article about yourself and your family. Your son is looking great with little Thor in the photograph.There are a few person in yahoo answers who made it meaningful and helpful to others your are one of them.
accept my best wishes for your upcoming life.
Congrats Rob
Congrats Rob! those are some amazing pictures, the clarity of your images amazes me! they literally looked like paintings everything was so crisp and clear!
I noticed a couple of people commenting about how one becomes a “featured user”.
The simple answer is someone has to nominate you, then the Yahoo Team reviews the nominated account and if they feel the nomination is appropriate they will contact the nominee to find out if they wish to be featured.
I wish it was more publicized, but who knows, maybee then trolls would try to nominate their favorite gadflies.