Nick Offerman.

Many know him as Ron Swanson from Parks & Rec, but that’s a character. He’s a dynamic actor, a hilarious comic, eloquent author, and an outstanding woodworker. I like his honesty and pragmaticism. I enjoy the way he brings his characters to life. His writing transports me in my mind. His woodworking is inspiring to me. His comedy makes me feel seen in this human experiment. I love his laugh; he clearly likes to be goofy, much like myself. He came through my town on his American Ham comedy tour and that’s when I got a real feel for who he is as a person. He loves his wife enthusiastically. He’s a connoisseur, whether it’s words, whisk(e)y, wood, what-have-you. He’s inclusive; understanding that we’re all just individuals living our lives and wanting to do our best. You’ll find a wide swath of genders working and managing his woodshop which means a lot to me as a woodworker because it’s often a male dominated industry. I’m white, cis, male, and shoot, even southern (Appalachian) American, but I staunchly believe in accessibility and inclusiveness. The more I learn about Nick, the more I like the guy, and I’ve learned a good deal about him. I’ve had this dream for a while about reaching out to see if he’d want to go paddling with me down the oldest river in North America which starts in my area, but I’m just some guy, and he’s probably pretty busy.