avatarAdam Deitsch

Summary

Adam Deitsch reflects on his childhood hobbies, current writing genres, favorite TV shows, relaxation techniques, and family connections, while sharing insights into his work and favorite Medium articles.

Abstract

The web content presents an interview with Adam Deitsch, an environmental scientist and writer, who reminisces about his pastimes as a child, particularly his love for video games and television. Deitsch discusses his diverse writing interests, ranging from environmental science to social justice, food, and short fiction, emphasizing his multifaceted approach to writing. He also shares his all-time favorite childhood TV shows, which include animated series with environmental and superhero themes. When it comes to relaxation, Deitsch prefers the sensation of touch, enjoying the comfort of a soft comforter. As he nears the end of his graduate studies, he expresses a desire to deepen his connection with his family. Additionally, Deitsch highlights some of his Medium articles, showcasing his poetic frustration with physics, the emotional challenge of returning to school during the pandemic, and his appreciation for other writers like Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 and R. Rangan PhD.

Opinions

  • Deitsch is nostalgic about his childhood spent playing video games and watching TV, though he acknowledges varying opinions on whether this was a positive or isolating experience.
  • He believes that his childhood interests have shaped his current joys, such as watching movies and introducing his son to shows he enjoyed.
  • Deitsch writes about a broad spectrum of topics, indicating that his interests drive his writing rather than adhering to a specific genre.
  • He values the tactile sensation of comfort, particularly in his sleeping arrangements, as a means to relax.
  • Deitsch prioritizes family time, especially as he approaches the end of his graduate program, and sees it as a way to counterbalance the challenges of online learning during the pandemic.
  • He is critical of his own writing process, noting that some of his longer pieces originated from undergraduate assignments with added context and imagery.
  • Deitsch expresses admiration for the work of other Medium writers, particularly Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 and R. Rangan PhD, and encourages readers to explore their work.

So you wanted to know about Adam Deitsch…

May Interview Questions with The Brain is a Noodle

Photo by Adam Deitsch, modified from photos by Rebecca Campbell on Unsplash and Vinson Tan ( 楊 祖 武 ) on Pixabay

[1] What did you like to do most when you were 10? They say that this hobby is likely what brings you the most joy in life — is this something you still do?

When I was 10, I didn’t do much besides play video games and watch tv. Whether that’s good or bad is all a matter of opinion. Was it a good childhood? Was it too isolated? Was it preparing me for pandemic life that was still decades away? That’s probably for no one to decide. There are too many variables to take into account if you want to say whether watching a lot of cartoons and playing Sonic the Hedgehog had an effect on me reaching my peak social and intellectual potential.

At this point, I only play a few phone games to waste time when I don’t want to accomplish things. But I’m still big on watching things. Things? Things. I watch a lot of movies — say what you want about the saturation point of super-hero movies, but the Marvel Cinematic Universe has just gotten started, and it is a marvel (no pun intended) of theatrical achievements, but that’s for another article which may or may not have been written by me by the time you read this. I also watch some of the shows I used to watch all that time ago, because I try to introduce my son to them.

[2] What genres do you write? Why do you choose to write with these types of structures? What’s attractive about them?

That’s an interesting question, because it points to one of the issues I had with applying to graduate schools this year. I write about a lot of things… because I’m interested in a lot of things. I’m an environmental scientist, so I write about the Earth, and some environmental science stuff. But that goes hand in hand with tangential sciences, as well as politics and social justice, so sometimes I write about those too. I also write a bit about food, and even started a food blog that has nothing but recipes, though I only have four of them posted at the time of writing this. I’ve also been doing a bit of really short fiction, thanks to the #OngoingAdventure series.

As far as the formatting and the extent of my writing, it’s mostly been poetry and shortform. I have a few longer pieces I’ve written, and I am pretty entertained and amazed by the fact that I’ve also taken a few assignments from my undergraduate degree and added a few paragraphs for context, an image, and a little spacing, and gotten them curated on here.

[3] What’s your all-time favourite childhood TV show?

There were so many. We’ve kind of established this in question [1]. Let’s make a short list, shall we?

Captain Planet and the Planeteers (and the New Adventures) ReBoot Spider-Man: The Animated Series Batman: The Animated Series X-Men: The Animated Series

Noticing a pattern? Don’t think anything of it. I have fond memories and theme songs in my head of various other shows that I deeply enjoyed too…

Gummie Bears King Arthur and the Knights of Justice Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Double Dragon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers Tailspin Mighty Max

I’d put the gif of Captain America saying, “I could do this all day,” but I don’t want to violate any copyrights and have the Great Mouse Detective come after me.

[4] Pick one sense and tell us about the most relaxing thing you do in relation to that sense.

The sense of touch, I guess. Having the soft, floofy cloud of a comforter between my knees and the cold sensation of an unused pillow is what I need for bed. Of course, I also need to have one foot exposed to the cool air too. I can’t be all wrapped up. I just need a little warmth and the cushion for my legs.

Really, is there anything more relaxing than a good night’s sleep?

[5] Who is someone you want to connect more with this month? How might you go about doing this?

I really want to connect more with my family this month. This is my last semester before I graduate, and online learning has made the past year quite difficult for spending quality time with my wife and kids, despite being home with them 24/7. Don’t get me wrong, we spend time together. I just want to connect with them more!

Once I take that last final exam, I’ll probably spend a day or so pulling a Jesse Eisenberg in the Social Network — hitting refresh until I see my grades. After that, I plan to spend a significantly larger portion of my time enjoying the company of my loved ones.

This or that?

Bold your choice!

  • olive oil or butter
  • e-books or physical books
  • libraries or bookstores
  • noodles or rice
  • messy desk or organized desk (Italic for what I have. Bold for my choice.)

Articles to share

It seems my About Me post from March has the most views (66):

Here’s a poem that I’m still deeply feeling a week after writing it, because it’s about physics and I have a final on Monday. Incidentally, it is tied for my 2nd most views (50):

A piece from the heart, written just before I had to return to campus for a lab for the first time since March of 2020:

Here’s a 5min piece that was a 580-word abstract for a scientific poster I presented. I cleaned it up a bit and added a few paragraphs for context to the reader, and poof *instant article*:

I’m still pretty new here, so it’s hard to think of a “favorite writer” like that. I try to read a couple poems and articles a day, but I’m limited by time and other constraints. At this point, it seems like I keep reading a lot of Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)’s work and I tend to call that out a lot in prompted poems. I’m going to share an article from R. Rangan PhD for two reasons. First, they are a phenomenal writer and I do love their poetry. Second, they wrote a piece in the new #OngoingAdventure series and I think you should check that out if you haven’t. Here is R. Rangan PhD’s chapter:

Want to be interviewed?

Adam Deitsch is an environmental scientist and… oh, right. This entire article already told you who am.

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