Information on my genes provided by 23andMe and Promethease

Finally got my DNA analysis back from 23andMe:

Since the FDA stopped allowing them to interpret the data for their customers, I had to spend an extra $5 with https://promethease.com/ to get useful information out of it.
Here's the most interesting and useful stuff they found:

gs 229 & i3003137(A;T)- Sickle cell trait; resistant to malaria but a carrier for sickle cell anemia. Note some believe gs229 individuals should be identified by screening before being exposed to extreme physical exertion due to ~30x higher risk for sudden death
 Sickle Cell Anemia carrier - "Bad news: You are a carrier for Sickle Cell Anemia. You should consider having your partner tested before before having children. The good news is that you are naturally resistant to malaria."
[I learned this at Coast Guard bootcamp. The info the doctor gave me said there is rarely any real life effect, other than sudden death during extreme activity such as mountain climbing or... military bootcamp! I didn't die though :P ]

gs251 - Beta Thalassemia carrier (Beta thalassemia is a hereditary disease affecting the hemoglobin - similar to sickle cell)
[I guess I should go visit the tropics, take advantage of the fact that I am malaria proof]

rs738409(G;G) - higher odds of alcoholic liver disease, increased liver fat While found in 55%+ of all people, alcohol seems to be 3x more damaging to your liver than typical
[That's ok, I rarely drink anyway]

rs7294919(C;T) Moderately enhanced hippocampal volume
The hippocampus is a critical brain structure involved in learning and memory. In particular, it is associated with the ability to form long-term memories of facts and events

rs2237717(T;T) - roles in general neurodevelopment and in the development of autism . Rs2237717 has been linked to schizophrenia, and the ability to recognize facial emotion.  Possible cancer protection.
[I've always suspected I may have just a touch of Asperger's / ASD.  Not enough to be diagnosable, but enough that I often sympathize more with the experience of aspys than of NTs.  Wonder how much of that is related to rs2237717(T;T) ]



rs11614913(C;C) - increased risk of various types of cancer

rs2180439(T;T) - 2x increased risk of Male Pattern Baldness
[Well, I was already aware of that.  But...]

rs925391(T;T) - unlikely to go bald
[So maybe it won't be completely?]

rs1800497(C;C) Learns from mistakes more easily. Men may have a higher risk of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder but lower risk of ADHD. Lower risk of alcoholism and smoking addiction. Faster recovery from traumatic brain injury. Lower obesity due to increased pleasure response to food
[well now that is interesting!  A number of people have commented that they find it strange that I'm not particularly excited by food, that my hunger is more than my appetite, and sometimes I don't feel like taking the effort to prepare food.]

rs72921001(C;C) - More likely to think cilantro tastes like soap
[AH HA ha ha ha!  Hmm.  I don't think I think cilantro tastes like soap, but now I really want to find some and taste it!]

rs3732379(C;T) - reduced risk of acute coronary events

rs53576(A;G) - oxytocin receptor polymorphism (OXTR)

You have a SNP in the oxytocin receptor which may make you less empathetic than most people.
[I wonder how many people who know me will be surprised by that :P ]
When under stress you may have more difficulty recognizing the emotional state of others which impacts loneliness, parenting, and socializing skills
Lower levels of reward dependence (reliance on social approval). Lower autonomic arousal while perceiving harm to others.
[I object to the characterization of this as "dysfunction".  It is different than the norm, sure.  But just because I can't tell how you feel from your expression doesn't mean I'm any less likely to care.  It just means I need more explicit communication - which is generally a good thing anyway.  
Combined with good communication, I bet it makes for less misunderstandings: while I do worse than average on 
"Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test", I KNOW when I'm not sure, while people who do better are often confident even when they are wrong.  Therefor I'm more likely to ask.
Also, reliance on social approval isn't really a good thing.
This study http://mic.com/articles/92479/psychologists-have-uncovered-a-troubling-feature-of-people-who-seem-too-nice isn't really about "niceness" as it claims, so much as about the politeness that stems from a high reliance on social approval.  In other words, ASDs are a lot less likely to hurt others in order to fit in or be accepted.
Lower autonomic arousal while perceiving harm to others is probably a trait you want in a rescuer (USCG Search and Rescue, for example) - similar as I said above, the fact that I don't have a strong emotional reaction to your distress doesn't mean I don't care.  It means I can stay calm and collected during you crises, which makes me more effective at helping you.  Do you really want your rescuer to be so sympathetic that they freak out and start crying when they see how much pain you're in?]

gs128 & i4001527(D;I) - Blood type O+

rs601338(A;A) - Immunity to Norovirus
[One more reason to travel]

rs1815739(T;T) - Impaired muscle performance. Fast-twitch muscle fibers completely unable to produce alpha-actinin-3.  (poor sprinting and maximal strength). No apparent effect on slow twitch (endurance) fibers.
[That sucks.  It explains why, even when I do everything I'm supposed to in terms of strength training program, rest, nutrition, and supplementation, I still progress so much slower than others.  Oh well, at least now I know its not my fault]

gs100 & rs182549(C;C) - 77% risk of lactose intolerance
[Interesting.  I'm not.  Dairy is probably 25% of my calorie intake, no effects on me at all]

rs2943634(A;A) - lower risk of ischemic stroke

rs807701(C;C) and rs793862(A;A) - 3-5x increased dyslexia rsik

rs9273363(C;C) - Much lower (0.15x) risk of Type 1 Diabetes

rs1800955(C;T) - increased susceptibility to novelty seeking (due to less-efficient serotonin processing)
[I've noted in the past that of the major characteristics of ASD, the primary ones I lack is desire for routine and repetition.  I do in fact get bored easily, which is the main reason I have quit every 40-hour a week job I've ever had, and only managed to stick with my current "career" by having 5 different jobs]

gs184 - able to taste bitterness.  You can taste propylthiouracil (PROP), PTC, and related chemicals.  Coffee and dark beers also tastes more bitter.
[Interesting.  So maybe everyone else isn't just deluding themselves into thinking those things taste good just because they enjoy the effects of intoxication.  Other people actually experience something different than I do when they taste them!]

gs157 & rs762551(A;C) - enhanced stimulation by caffeine
[I bet another significant reason is because I almost never use it, so my tolerance is normally zero]

rs5751876(T;T) - significantly higher anxiety levels after moderate caffeine consumption
[hmmmm... I've always assumed I don't care for the taste of coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate just because they taste bitter.  But maybe there's also a subconscious factor from my brain noticing the negative effect caffeine has on me.  I've never noticed it consciously those times I have consumed a lot though]

rs17070145(C;T) - increased memory performance (20%!)

rs1799990(A;G) - Resistance to Prion Disease (PrP 129 Met/Val heterozygote) [the human form of Mad Cow Disease]
" this genotype prevents transmission of kuru, a form of Prion disease transmitted by cannibalism. So eat as many brains as you want!"

The downsides to empathy

"You have a SNP in the oxytocin receptor which may make you less empathetic than most people. 
When under stress you may have more difficulty recognizing the emotional state of others which impacts loneliness, parenting, and socializing skills 
Lower levels of reward dependence (reliance on social approval). Lower autonomic arousal while perceiving harm to others." 

Indeed, I've been told by many people that I am not empathetic enough, and I have social skills only slightly better than someone with Asperger's. 

But I object to the characterization of this as "dysfunction". It is different than the norm, sure.
Does empathy imply more morality?  Is lack of empathy a pathology? Not necessarily


Just because I can't tell how you feel from your expression doesn't mean I'm any less likely to care. It just means I need more explicit communication - which is generally a good thing anyway. 
Combined with good communication, I bet it makes for less misunderstandings: while I do worse than average on "Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test", I KNOW when I'm not sure, while people who do better are often confident even when they are wrong. Therefor I'm more likely to ask. 

A study published in the journal Science by Dr. Hillel Aviezer of the Psychology Department of the Hebrew University, together with Dr. Yaacov Trope of New York University and Dr. Alexander Todorov of Princeton University, confirms my theory: "viewers in test groups were baffled when shown photographs of people who were undergoing real-life, highly intense positive and negative experiences. " (as opposed to the typical "Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test" which uses actors). "When the viewers were asked to judge the emotional valences of the faces they were shown (that is, the positivity or negativity of the faces), their guesses fell within the realm of chance. " 
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/338/6111/1225 
Nobody can really "mind read". But people rated more empathetic absolutely believe they can. Sounds like dysfunction... 

Reliance on social approval is a terrible thing! 
This study http://mic.com/articles/92479/psychologists-have-uncovered-a-troubling-feature-of-people-who-seem-too-nice isn't really about "niceness" as it claims, so much as about the politeness that stems from a high reliance on social approval. In other words, ASDs are a lot less likely to hurt others in order to fit in or be accepted.
The typical human will deliberately choose what they know to be a wrong answer, just so they can fit in with everyone else: http://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html
 Reliance on social approval is the basis of peer pressure, of group think, of failure to act in crises (if others are around), of the negative feelings of shame and low-self-esteem. And as the study above shows, it makes people more likely to be evil. I'm at a loss for what positives come from it. It sounds an awful lot like dysfunction to me. 

Lower autonomic arousal while perceiving harm to others is probably a trait you want in, say, a rescuer (USCG Search and Rescue, for example, which I am, or a firefighter or cop or paramedic) - similar as I said above, the fact that I don't have a strong emotional reaction to your distress doesn't mean I don't care. It means I can stay calm and collected during your crises, which makes me more effective at helping you. Do you really want your rescuer to be so sympathetic that they freak out or start crying when they see how much pain you're in? 
A highly sympathetic pediatrician would develop lots of stress from continually causing children pain, even though they know the shots are in the child's best interests. Again, that sounds like dysfunction to me. 

Aspys and similar folk tend to be more intelligent and better at all sort of tasks. The fact of being less common doesn't automatically imply pathology - if it did, being overweight would have to be reclassified as normal, and a healthy BMI would have to be considered disfunction (at least in the US). 
Evolution has gone from pure stimulus response to instinct behavior to emotional reactions to higher order reasoning and logic. I propose the rise of the Aspys, who are less emotional and more logical, is another step in that direction!

Construction Project Portfolio

A sampling of some of my larger projects over the past few years

Bed Frame (from wood reclaimed from a previous deconstruction job), with Driftwood Headboard

The lumber was originally a retaining wall that held the fuel tanks in place in the original BioFuel Oasis, when they were housed in a garage.  I was hired to deconstruct it, so the still perfectly good lumber wouldn't go to waste.

I used part of it to build a large compost bin for a small alternative high school to use for cafeteria waste, and the rest to build this custom bed frame

As you can see, the new owner of the bed helped with the labor.

Gate (and Brick Walkway)

The purpose of this gate is to keep a dog in the yard, so it had to be high and strong.  The wood is all recycled.

 The location made pouring a concrete footing impractical, and I didn't want to attach the gate directly to the building, so I drove in a giant metal stake that takes the place of a concrete footing, put in a post, and attached the post to the building.  5 years so far, and it hasn't need any adjustments.

So that people wouldn't have to walk in the dirt (and sometimes mud), I laid a path from the concrete walkway to the gate using brinks that were lying around.  

The path not only curves at a 90 degree angle, but rises several inches to meet the concrete path with no step, while allowing the gate to swing out over it to open.

Fireplace Mantel, Mounted TV, and Ceiling Lamp

The wood for the mantel was purchased for this purpose, and came with a mounting system, which just required me to drill into the masonry, and then assemble and attach everything.  Similarly, the TV mounting bracket came as a system.


Before:

After:

The ceiling light was installed in a location where there was no lamp previously, which meant going up into the attic, mounting an electrical box to a ceiling stud, cutting out the drywall, and running wires through the walls in order to install the light switch.

Small Wood Deck

I've posted these pictures before, but I figure it'll be good to have them all in one place.
Originally the back door opened directly onto the stair case.

I did every step of this project solo, from sketching plans, disassembling the old stairs, pouring concrete footings, all of the carpentry and construction, reattaching the stairs, and finally staining everything.
I didn't take enough pictures.

Front Yard Landscaping

My associate Jessica Bates of Food Forest Farm, West, gets most of the credit for this landscaping installation.  I was mostly there to provide the truck (for hauling compost), manual labor, and occasionally minor technical advice.
(Incidentally, I also assembled the shade trellis, but not as part of this job)

Before: Absolutely hideous black plastic used as weed block

Before anything else, we dug out a tunnel beneath the concrete walkway, in order to run irrigation lines from the faucet against the house to the entire front yard.

Step 1: sheet mulching.  The entire area is covered in cardboard, which stops any weeds that are already in the ground from growing.

Next we covered everything with fresh organic compost, and then ran buriable drip irrigation all over the place.
After that we lay out the border trim to hold the dry "creek" in place, hand planted dozens of starter ground cover, and then filled in everywhere else with mulch.

And finally, the finishing touch: a tiny bridge!

Concrete Raised Bed Rebuild

This concrete planter box was built an unknown amount of time ago by a previous owner of the property.  For reasons I can not even begin to guess at, they chose not to build it to any multiple of the size blocks they used, instead putting in random broken pieces as spacers.
It was held together only with mortar, so over time, as the bamboo planted in it grew, eventually the roots began pushing on the blocks, and was gradually destroying the raised bed.

A previous contractor had also run irrigation lines up the side of the box, which, while functional, was ugly

My associate Jessica and I took apart the old wall, 

cut back the roots, (and dug them up where they had grown under the old wall):

We moved the existing irrigation lines to the inside, surrounded the (still standing) root / soil mass with thick plastic root barrier, and rebuilt the wall.

Finally - to make it much stronger, and ensure that the same thing doesn't happen in the future, we filled all of the hollow columns in the cinder blocks with concrete, forming one continuous solid wall of concrete.  Since the blocks are all staggered, the poured concrete causes every block to be interlocked with every other block.  

Giant Chicken Run with Integrated Coop

My largest project to date, by far.
We completed this project in exactly the hours I originally estimated it would take, 40.

The client gave me a photograph of something he found and liked.  He wanted something that looked similar

Of course, that run/coop was built on perfectly level, paved ground, and is just barely big enough for a human to fit inside of.

Our client's property is on an extremely steep hillside, roughly 45 degrees, and has rocks and plants, a retaining wall and part of a jungle gym - and, oh yeah, a giant tree with a tree house attached to it in the middle of the space he wants the run built.

I decided to use the existing platform, rather than destroying it and starting from scratch.
Step one was to take detailed measurements and make a scale sketch of the existing grounds.

Then, since all I had to go on was a small picture (taken from only one angle), and it was to be built on non-level ground, incorporating an existing structure and fitting around an enormous oak tree, I had to make my own plans from scratch:

The first day of construction was spent digging holes and filling them with concrete for all of the footings.

Next began the framing:

I had rough sizes of lumber based on the measurements, but with the slope varying in two directions, the exact cuts were fine tuned as we went along, using a laser level, so that the entire top is level in both dimensions.  The legs on the top side are about 5 feet, while the downslope legs are almost 8

Next the A-frame roof line:

Jessica's boyfriend volunteered to help a couple days.  Here he is attaching metal mesh walls to the wood frame, while I attach the boards that make up the roof of the coop.

And here he is digging out a trench which the mesh will extend into, to foil any predators that try to dig their way under the run, while I put up the other half of the roof:

 View from inside the run:





Building the door frame:

The space under the coop is meshed in, giving the chickens more space to run around, and a place to be protected from rain or bright sun while still being outdoors.
 I added structural support and bracing to the old tree house platform, which also provided something to attach the mesh to.

Back of the coop, with a mesh window for ventilation:

Roof mesh attached, to keep out climbers and raptors:

Coop door can be latched shut at night, just in case some very strong or clever predators somehow make it past the run's defences:

Inside is a large, moveable perch.  Because birds like perching on stuff.

My business partner, Jessica, isn't in most of the pictures, because she is behind the camera.  Here she is though:

A door on the outside provides easy access to eggs, without having to climb inside the coop:

Project complete:

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