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Max's Survivor! Application


My video application (7M, 3min).

First Name: Mark
Last Name: Maxham
Nickname: max

Street Address: 3619 Hillcrest, Belmont CA 94002

Phone Number(s): 650-888-1069 (cell & voicemail)

Email Address:
Gender: male
Age: 31
DOB: 8 April 1968

Marital Status: single (girlfriend)

Current Occupation: director of engineering, eUniverse Inc.

In which other occupations, if any, have you been employed (please list previous three):

  1. software engineer
  2. camp counselor
  3. grad student

What is your level of education, and what school(s) did you attend?
MS electrical engineering, Rice University

Name three of your favorite hobbies:

  1. flying
  2. snowboarding
  3. gardening
Not including your current place of residence, in which other cities and/or countries have you lived and for what period of time? Have you been treated for any serious physical or mental illness(es) within the last three years?
No.

Please list any other allergies you have (medications, food, hay fever, dust, etc.) and your current treatment for them:
I am allergic to poison oak and poison ivy. Mild cases I just let run their course. Really bad cases get steroid cream.

List three adjectives that best describe yourself:

If you could hold any political office, what would it be and why?
I have zero desire to hold political office. I suppose if you made me pick one it would be a school board. A school board seems like a place you could really make a difference, but I can't say without doing it.

What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?
I'm most proud of the summer I spent as a camp counselor, though I'm not sure that is exactly and "accomplishment". If you mean some sort of individual achievement, I would say that completing my 100+ page master's thesis in four semesters was really satisfying.

Do you have any pets? If so, please list their name and type:

Are you a vegetarian or do you eat meat?
"If God didn't intend for us to eat animals, why did he make 'em out of meat?"

What's your favorite TV show?
The Upright Citizens Brigade

What's your favorite movie?
Strictly Ballroom. But limiting the answers to one, that's downright mean. I can give six or seven answers on a genre-by-genre basis.

What's your favorite music?
Lately I've been listening to a lot of trip-hop and house, but I also have a soft spot for 80's bubblegum pop and 70's art rock.

Describe your perfect day:
I wake up having no responsibilities and idea what I'm going to do.

What magazines do you read?
The Economist, Wired

Do you belong to any affiliations or organizations?
Not actively; I'm not much of a joiner. I pay my dues to the AOPA (pilot's association), ACM (geek stuff), UPA (ultimate), and Sierra Club.

Do you have any body art (piercings, tattoos, etc.)?
Just a couple of gold hoops in one ear.

What is your favorite sport?
Ultimate -- I have been an addict for thirteen years. Ultimate emphasizes mutual respect between teams and among players; it requires athleticism and skill and cooperation; it's insanely fun. Ultimate players also form an international community.

Who is your hero and why?
Thomas Jefferson. He was a free-thinker, a true renaissance man, well-learned in architecture and natural history and literature. More importantly, as a primary author of the Constitution, he's directly responsible (IMHO) for the tremendous freedoms enjoyed in this country. While he did own slaves, at a time when virtually everyone in his position did, he also wrote the rules that led to the inescapable conclusion that the slaves must be freed.

List three items that you would take to the Survivor! island, if allowed, and why:
The dilemma here is do I give the "serious" answer or the "quirky" answer. If I'm being practical-minded, I'll say:

  1. a well-stocked medical kit
  2. a solar-powered desalinization gizmo
  3. a big-ass bottle of sunscreen
But if you mean, "which non-survival items would you bring", I'd say:
  1. a frisbee
  2. a cow (does that count as an "item"?)
  3. another frisbee, in case I lose the first one
What is your favorite topic of conversation at a dinner party?
I like to ask value-system questions, to find out what is important to people and why. I also like to trade funny stories.

What skills do you bring to the island that would make you a useful member of the group?
I can hunt and fish; I am pretty good with my hands; I can swim well and climb trees; I can lead when needed and follow when needed; I know a lot of jokes and stories.

Which former "Gilligan's Island" castaway would you be most identified with, and why?
The Professor. Well, 90% Professor, 10% Gilligan. I know a lot of random stuff, both practical and arcane, but I also like to goof off and have a good time. But if I was the Professor, I would have figured out how to fix the damn boat.

What personality traits will make you a valued member of the society?
Creativity; patience; generosity; the ability to be equally comfortable leading or following, as needed.

What types of people would you choose to have with you on the island?
I would pick team players with a wide variety of talents; people who can communicate and teach well, so that everyone can learn each others' useful skills.

What types of people would you NOT choose to have with you on the island?
Hotheads, whiners, egomaniacs.

Why do you believe you could be the final Survivor?
I get along well with all types of people, and I believe my lack of pretense would make me less likely than others to get booted.