Hello everyone!  :)

     My name is Tim Blackwood and I am a recent graduate of Bemidji State University, located in
northern Minnesota.  My undergraduate degree is in biology and I am currently preparing for the
GRE and searching for a graduate school.  My future plan is to become an ornithologist and work in
the area of conservation.  It was a tough decision to narrow my area of study to just one area, as
I have many interests in biology.  Seashells is one of my many interests.  A neighbor lady (who
later became my adopted aunt) introduced me to shells when I was only 9 or 10 years old.  Her son
had a large collection with representative specimens from most of the all but one class and most
of the major families.  My collection began to grow through Christmas and Birthday gifts.  As I
have not been fortunate enough to do much traveling, I had to begin purchasing specimens of the
rarer and more unusual species.  However, in the future, I will take advantages of opportunities
to collect personally, whenever possible.  Recent additions to my collection have come from
purchases at yard sales.  I couldn't resist giving them a home.  Many are unidentified and I am
having a lot of fun working through them and playing detective.  I am especially proud of a
mid-sized specimen of Cassis madagascariensis purchased from a yard sale recently.  It was sitting
on a shelf collecting dust, so I brought it home and gave it a mild bath.  It is really quite nice
now.  Well, I will sign off for now, as I have gone on long enough.  I am looking forward to
learning more about all aspects of conchology.  So, until next time...Take care and talk to you
again soon.  Bye for now!  :)

Sincerely,
Tim

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