He is the kind of guy whose favorite judge on American Idol is Simon. He loves the main character on House. He watches lots of TV; reads lots of books; and travels to lots of countries.
He is the kind of guy who will play the chauvinist very convincingly if he thinks he can get a rise out of you. But the fact of the matter is - he is a feminist. If knows you are particular about anything, he'll feign ignorance and tease you till you are ready to explode. All the while he'll hold such a straight face that if you don't know he is teasing, you'll think he is either oblivious or an idiot. He is neither. (I mean really, is there a difference between a violin and a fiddle?)
He is the person I call up after I've taught a particularly bad Sunday School lesson because I trust his judgment and feedback...because his lessons are genuinely, consistently great. He'll tell me it probably wasn't as bad as I thought it was while still pointing out how I could do it better and why.
As a professor, Brien puts together a tough curriculum with high expectations of his students. Then he gives the grade deserved based on the work product produced. He is not one to be bullied either. When disgruntled parents call telling him that they are paying for their child to get a "good education", he assures them that their child gets an excellent education and when they produce a work product that merits the grade they want, he'll give it.
He is a very persuasive person...like the time he persuaded me to go to Guatemala.
Brien: Chantal, I am going to Guatemala this summer. Want to come?
Me: Yyyyyyeeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhh!!! That is awesome!!!! I totally want to go!!!!
What can I say. His persuasive powers are amazing.
And you know what? While there, I discovered that he is very modest. Never once had he mentioned that he was doing some AWESOME research for his PhD in Guatemala. It was so fascinating...all about racism in Guatemala. It was such an amazing experience.
He is moving from St. Louis to be a professor in Alaska in only a few short months. But this month, he became the proud recipient of a PhD! (Congrats Brien.) He'll be the first to remind you that it is DOCTOR Ashdown...lest you forget.
We'll miss him here in St. Louis.
Picture #1 - Brien inspecting raw jade in Guatemala...the only picture I had of him.
Picture #2 - Antigua, Guatemala. I LOVE that volcano.
Picture #3 - Thanksgiving 2008...Adam was taking the picture, but he was there. I stole this one from facebook.
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