********************************************************************* From: Gerald Ernst <plumeman2000@xxxxxxxxxxx> ********************************************************************* Dear all, RE: Steve Sparks'60th birthday ! As you may not know, Steve Sparks is just 60 years old (or young) today. Now, as most of you know, Steve (much in the same way that George, Steve's prof, was) is a most humble chap and not an attention- or praise-seeker. So I hope it is clear to all that the initiative of sending this mail is entirely my own and what good or bad comes of it is also entirely my own responsibility. Personally, I feel immensely grateful to Steve for all he has done to help me grow as a volcano scientist and as a human being, and also for all he has done to help our volcanology community, for quite some years now. As far as I am concerned, I have only ever seen him give his time, expert advice and kindness generously and selflessly. To me, Steve has epitomized what being critical and innovative but at the same time constructive and helpful is about. By his own example and open-minded and inclusive approach to our science, he has inspired any good work (if any) I may myself have become associated with in volcanology. I may be mistaken but I believe that there are many among us who will also have been inspired, trained, encouraged, helped one way or another by Steve, and that his mark on our community has been both a radical one, a wide-ranging one and a most benevolent one. If you share this feeling of gratitude that I personally feel for Steve or would like to give him a friendly tap on the shoulder on his birthday, why not send him a brief mail telling him directly what it is he may have done (or not done ?) that may have helped your own life, research, career, efforts ? My aim by sending this mail is not to become responsible for Steve's email box becoming oversaturated with huge emails, so may I suggest that those who wish to drop him a line try to be as brief and specific as possible in any appreciation they'd like to send him ? I am not in any way Steve's spin doctor or career manager - he clearly does not need any of that. So best to send your mails directly to Steve at: Steve.Sparks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx STEVE - I hope you will not mind my inviting our colleagues to share any appreciation if they would like to share with you on this special day, especially those, like myself, who are not physically near enough to Bristol and have no chance of visiting you soon or of getting you a pint on your birthday ! Amitiés, best wishes and kind regards to all, Gerald ============================================================== To unsubscribe from the volcano list, send the message: signoff volcano to: listserv@xxxxxxx, or write to: volcano-request@xxxxxxxx To contribute to the volcano list, send your message to: volcano@xxxxxxxx Please do not send attachments. ==============================================================
