My name is Mark Scheidies. I have lived in Longmont since 1983, and am getting close to
sixty years old. I grew up in south-central Nebraska, graduating from Minden High School
in 1972. I attended the University of Nebraska, graduating with a degree in mathematics
in 1976, which also happens to be the year I married my wife Jennifer.

I worked in the computer science field as a programmer and software tester, for the
Kansas City, Missouri Police Dept. until 1983, and then for Storage Tek here in Longmont
and Louisville until the early 1990’s. Since then, I’ve been a stay-at-home dad with
my three children, until 2006, when the youngest of them left home, and have also
worked at Jennifer’s dental office during that time.

Although I haven’t run really competitively since high school (and I was just so-so back
then), in my 20’s and 30’s I was a better-than-average 10K and marathon runner, and had
done a few triathlons. At my peak, I ran a 2:58 marathon in Lincoln in 1978, and did
the Pikes Peak marathon in about 5:24 in the mid 1980’s. I wasn’t going to win any
races with those times, but would typically finish near the top 10% at that time.

Since then, I’ve gotten a bit too inactive and put on a few too many pounds, but this next
year will hopefully help out a little on that. I’ve been blessed with good health,
and have never had any injuries or joint problems that have hindered me from walking
or running. I hope that record continues throughout this next year!

My other interests tend toward more sedentary activities. I am an expert-level chess
player, though I have not competed in tournaments for some while. I still have my
library of over 900 chess books, of which I have read over 100 of them. Since I enjoy
reading, I also have a pretty extensive library of other books.

I have competed in trivia competitions for about the last ten years. I have been in the
Jeopardy! competitor’s pool three times now, although I have never gotten the call yet
to be on the show. I will try again in 2013…. wish me luck!! At this time, I can
be found at Buffalo Wild Wings in southwest Longmont every Wednesday night at 8:00,
fighting it out in the weekly ‘Trivia Sharks’ competition there. If you’re there
sometime, look me up and say hello.

To complete my geekiness, I enjoy doing crossword puzzles… typically do the New York
Times Monday thru Thursday puzzles, as well as the Sunday. The Friday and Saturday
ones are almost always still beyond my grasp, even with a little cheating. Also enjoy
doing Sudoku, Kenken and Kakuro puzzles. Although I don’t really do much mathematics
any more, I do enjoy reading about it, especially number theory.