Rockstar

This always comes around way too quickly, but yes, it's time to meet another one of PurplePJs staff members. This time it's none other than Savant! One of only a couple of Columnists who have been around for almost as long as the site itself!

Who Is Savant?

He's Canadian, his name is Jamie, and is in his early 40s. He has his own company, doing computer consulting, although he also contracts himself to companies on a short term basis if the deal is good enough. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and for Savant, that is logic and art respectively. His friends have even compared him to Jarod, a character from the television show The Pretender. He also says he's a pretty ordinary guy, and that he's also the kind of guy who can figure out how to do just about anything. And as if being compared to one character wasn't enough, Savant says that real old timers compare him to McGuyver. His motto is "for every problem there is a solution", just don't ask him to draw or do anything artistic!

PurplePJs: How did you find Purple Pyjamas?

Savant: It's been a while, but I remember some details. I was using the old Excite search engine, and I had done a search for something simple (I think it was horoscopes). Anyway, I ended up on the old HorrorScopes page, which was one of the few pages that had a guy as the page editor. Once I got to that page I was curious what the overall site was about, so I clicked home page - where I quickly realized that the site was geared towards a younger (predominantly female) audience. This was back in the days when Jennifer was the site's chief editor, and she had posted a note on the main page asking for input on something (although I can't remember what). I decided to send in a response, and she wrote back thanking me and asking if I wanted to join mailing list. This was back in early 1999.

PurplePJs: You've been a Page Editor/Columnist ever since I came aboard (as far as I can remember), but how long has it actually been?

Savant: This I remember, since it was almost a year after I joined the mailing list that I became a Page Editor. They had asked if people wanted to become more involved to help grow the site, so I sent in a message to Jennifer, offering my services. We chatted back and forth, and I came up with the idea of a news page. Thus was born the page GrrlzNews in March of 2000. So it's been over 8 years now.

PurplePJs: How many pages have you written for?

Savant: I worked on GrrlzNews for the year 2000, and in 2001 I was asked to take over on Tech Nerd. While working on Tech Nerd, I worked on the Ask A Guy page for about 6 months or so in 2003 when the site was in need of someone to fill in on the page. In 2004 I took over the Health Nut page, which I really enjoyed. I did my last Tech Nerd update in late 2004, and while doing Health Nut I co-edited a page called Good Question! in 2005. (This was a page where people could send in questions on anything topic that didn't fit on the other pages). While the Good Question! page only lasted a year, I've continued on as the columnist for Health Nut. The time really seems to fly by, since I did my first Health Nut update in early 2004, which means it has been over 4 years now on that page alone.

PurplePJs: You're writing for Health Nut now, but do you ever miss writing for pages you've had in the past, such as Tech Nerd?

Savant: Sometimes I do, yes. Although in the case of Tech Nerd I was doing much of what I was doing in real life, so it did get stale over time. I miss writing for the Ask A Guy page sometimes, but the page really does work better with a younger columnist. I check out the page on occasion, and I must say that Daniel is doing a great job of providing of providing sensitive, sensible and balanced advice to our readers.

PurplePJs: What keeps you wanting to be a Columnist at PurplePJs?

Savant: While I do like do help others, I think one reason why I initially felt compelled to volunteer for this site has to do with something that happened when I was a kid. My father's job meant my family had to move a lot, and so it meant a new school nearly every year. As you can imagine, fitting in with the kids who have been together since kindergarten is next to impossible. On my first day of sixth grade, I somehow annoyed this one boy, who proceeded to grab his two buddies and threaten to beat me up. I'm no wimp, but I'm also no match for three against one. So imagine my surprise when just before it came to blows that a girl from my class named Karen stepped in between me and the boys and told them to back off. I know it doesn't seem like much, but to me at the time it was one less thing that sucked about having to go to a new school yet again. Ever since that time, as I grew up, I always had a great respect for girls. So when given the opportunity to give back, I'm happy to volunteer my time here.

PurplePJs: Has it ever been an issue for you being one of only a couple of guys working on the site?

Savant: I'd be lying if I said it wasn't an issue initially. Hey, let's be honest here, any adult guy working on a site that is predominantly populated by teenage girls will be looked at with a jaundiced eye. There is an old expression,trust is earned, not given. When I joined the site, I expected that I would have to earn the trust of the girls here. Over the years I like to think I have proven my intentions are honourable, and when I get submissions from girls who are thankful for advice I have provided then it helps to remind me of why I'm here.

PurplePJs: What made you want to write for Health Nut?

Savant: There were a couple main reasons that drew me to Health Nut. The first was my interest in health matters. I often muse that had I not chosen a career in computers/electronics, I would have explored a medical career. The second reason was that I'm not bothered by things that many people find gross. While most guys don't want to hear the word 'period', to me it's just a normal function of the female body. So I was confident that I would be able to answer questions posed to me from readers. Lastly, I felt I could offer a unique selection of news articles that you just can't see elsewhere. I was really surprised at how most sites ignore teens when it comes to health news. There are health sections, and sections for parents and babies, but nothing for teens. I like to think I have been able to fill that gap.

PurplePJs: In your page bio, you say you've completed a number of Continuing Medical Education credits. What does this mean, and what made you pursue them?

Savant: Basically, CME (Continuing Medical Education) is normally something undertaken by those in the medical profession. It's basically a way for them to keep fresh and keep up to date on new treatments and such. What made me pursue them? Basically it was a way that I could learn more about medicine, without going to med-school. CMEs are generally short self-encapsulated courses that focus on a specific subject. They may only take 15 minutes to complete, or it could take up to an hour. Many of the CMEs I do involve reading over a professional's journal paper, and at the end of the text there will be a few questions about the material. Some are video presentations, and those too will involve a short quiz at the end. As I mention in my bio, these credits do no provide me with ANY medical credentials. It's sorta like a person who audits a course in college.

PurplePJs: Your username on the site is 'Savant'. What made you choose to use this over your real name or another username?

Savant: Well I've never been a fan of using a real name on the internet. I think everyone (for their own safety) should use a pseudonym, unless there is a pressing need for them to use their real name on a regular basis. However, the story behind my nickname is actually an old one. Back in my 20's I was working for IBM as a senior technician, and since I was the only one who knew any French at all, I was given the job of dealing with the representative for a Caisse Populaire in Quebec. While the representative spoke fluent English, the software I installed/configured for them was all in French. Anyway, at IBM we all wore white lab coats, and often carried clipboards. One day, this representative came in to see me in person, and I was able to meet him for the first time. As I met him, he said, "Bonjour mon savant", which as I found out meant "hello my scientist!" (I had to ask him about the use of the word savant, since I didn't know of this usage). Of course, when the rest of the guys in the department heard this it gave them a chuckle, and they immediately seized on it and started calling me 'Savant'. While I initially wasn't too keen on it, the name grew on me, so when I needed a nickname to use on the internet, it was a natural choice for me.

PurplePJs: How often do you have spare time, and when you do have some, what do you do to occupy yourself? What's your favourite pastime?

Savant: Spare time tends to be sporadic for me. There can be one year where I have loads of free time, another year where I have hardly any. The past few years have been on the short end for free time. Of late I've been spending a lot of time over at my mother's house, since my father-in-law has Multiple Sclerosis and in order for them to stay in their house I have to take care of all maintenance and upkeep. (His condition has degraded and he's spending more time in an electric wheelchair). Right now I am rebuilding one of their bathrooms to make it wheelchair accessible. Last year I had to renovate a good part of their home so they could install an elevator. The year before that it was installing an underground sprinkler system so they could have automatic watering. While it may soak up much of my free time, I figure it's the least I can do for a parent. They do so much to raise you for nearly 20 years in our youth, I figure the least I can do is return the favour.

When I find myself with literally nothing to do, I like to go cycling when the weather is good. I also enjoy playing World of Warcraft on occasion as well. (My main character is a Tauren Warrior). Depending on how things work out, I sometimes get the chance to beta test new PC software games developed by Microsoft before they are released to the public.

PurplePJs: Anything else you want to say?

Savant: I just want to thank the staff and readers for making the site possible. When you consider that this site has been operating for over ten years now, it's quite the accomplishment.

Lastly, as I often like to say, there is no such thing as a stupid question.

My grad photo, about 15 years ago. Note the short hair, lack of facial hair and clean shaven appearance. Man how times change.




















This is what my brother likes to call ‘the hair’. Needless to say, he doesn't share my fondness for long hair.


















Since wearing my hair loose would likely scare small children, I normally keep my hair braided. (Although I sometimes will just pull it back into a ponytail if I am pressed for time.)

















Kitty: Yeah, I have a cat, and I named her ‘Kitty’. I figured since cats never come when called, what was the point of trying to think of a cute name that she would never respond to anyway. :-)