On Sep 4, 2015, at 3:42 PM, Ronald Rutowski <R.RUTOWSKI@asu.edu> wrote:

Dear Tom:
 
I just visited you web site and learned of your terribly damaging fall this summer.  I was at least glad to hear that you seem to be successfully recovering with solid hope of being able to play music again, at least more than just the uke.
 
You must know the story about Les Paul breaking his elbow and having it set so his elbow was at the right angle to play guitar.  Was there any such repair strategy called for in your case?
 
I hope this finds you well and continuing on your way to recovery.
 
Cheers,
 
Ron



Dear Ron,

Thanks very kindly for visiting my web page and writing me. I recall your bike crash and your bow arm all messed up.

Good news finally: I am now able to play guitar a little and ALL of the chords and other things will work.

The middle finger MUST bend and I dislocated it so badly that I was quite worried.

The key to success was a vanilla D. Picture one. It was discouraging at first but I finally can make that chord it with my customary ease. The D-shape middle finger bend gives me back my ever present minor 7th flat 5, my favorite augmented, as well as soul stirring minor sixths  and crispy diminisheds. The doctor was so gloomy about my hand. "This is the classic injury that tends to stay stiff. Just warning you." said he. I believed him because my hand was wrecked.

It's ALL nearly back to my surprise. The index still fusses some but it will get better. The hand doctor is surprised.

My left hand is still a claw in the morning, but I can squash it into shape and play guitar. Later when the swelling goes down it will be perfect.

Ah, there was a strategy to the surgery although it didn't have to do with guitar playing: Perhaps you know about it. I have a total reverse shoulder replacement and that means that the ball is on top and the socket below. They say that this will allow me to use my deltoid muscle to lift my arm. You may not know that my arm was already quite gimpy from a bike crash injury that was not repairable--well not without a new shoulder. So now it should be better than before. I would have preferred to skip the surgery and keep my lame right arm the way it was, but in the end it's a plus. I guess. I had no choice in any case.

I didn't know I'd even broken my shoulder because I was so horrified at my ruined left hand with the finger sticking sideways. They asked me if anything else hurt and I said my shoulder did and x-rays revealed multiple fractures. Ow.

It’s only been in the last week or so that I’ve been able to use my right arm. For six weeks I could only make a fist and bend my elbow. I can now eat with a fork carefully, use the computer mouse, touch type, pick up a coffee cup sort of, wipe the countertops down a little and do lots of other things and the improvements are coming very fast all of a sudden. It’s getting closer to normal all the time. When I can pull a gear shift, I’ll be able to drive.

I remember the Les Paul story. I think it was Mary Ford who crashed the car and he took forever to be able to play again. (I now see in Wikipedia the part about setting of his arm at an angle.) People more often give me the Django Reinhardt recovery example to which I reply, "Yeah, but he had talent!"

Well, thanks for your note and for looking at my webpage which has become a site of considerable size and interest.

Yours,

Tom

Superstitions    11/11/2011    WENT WITH DITS AND STEVE. Oh, what scenery. Balancing rocks. Saguaro forests.  I had my bad bpack and it was hard. Friday 11/11/11, we ran into some damned idiot with a gun and a terrifying dog. He was lost and we sent him in the wrong direction so he didn't go where we were going. Something wrong with him, his gun, his dog, and his idiot of a girlfriend. Got to Bluff Springs but there was no water as the rangers had reported and Dits didn't believe. It said on their sign that there would be an occasional drip from the pipe, but we didn't even see that. Went clean to Labarge springs and camped there. A family and some boy scouts were there. We chatted with them and camped in a good place far from them and from DOG AND GUN BOY. It wasn't very cold. We cooked and slept nine hours at least and then went to that BIG SPRING with the beautiful pool. Then we went to Needle Trail and found a place that had a puddle of water on a rock that we could use to drink. We filtered this tea-water and it was still yellow, but tasted good. Slept and then in the morning it rained. I was dry for a while but then it rained harder and I got kind of wet. My tarp leaked! By slapping bug was wet and weighed more. We got up and started hiking BEFORE LIGHT in the rain. We used our headlights. SCENERY BEYOND COMPARE. Endless balancing rocks. We took 7 1/2 hours to get to my truck. We met some guys who were biologists and knew Rutowski. He's playing at PRANKSTERS TOO, in Scottsdale every friday night. I think it's scottsdale. We stopped at EL TACO and ate. It's on Apache Trail.

CURRICULUM VITAE
   
    RONALD L. RUTOWSKI


CONTACT POINTS                           

Mailing Address:    School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501
Voice Phone:        602-965-4369
Fax:            602-965-2519
Email:            r.rutowski@asu.edu

PERSONAL

Date and Place of Birth: 16 May 1949, Van Nuys, California
Marital status:    Married, two children
Retired: 18 January 2016

EDUCATION

University of California at Santa Cruz, B.A. in Biology with highest honors, 1971
Cornell University, Ph.D. (Neurobiology and Behavior), 1976
    Major professor:  Dr. Thomas Eisner
        Thesis title: The Courtship of Eurema lisa (Lepidoptera, Pieridae): A Study of Visual and Chemical Communication

RESEARCH AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1969 (summer)         Research technician, Department of Biochemistry, Brandies University, Boston, Massachusetts
1970 (summer)         NSF Undergraduate Research Participant, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (University of Oregon)
1971-1976         Graduate Training in Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University.  NASA Training Fellowship (spring 1972), Graduate Summer Research Fellowship (1972, 1973, 1974), various graduate teaching and research assistantships.  Field work at the Archbold Biological Station, Lake Placid, Florida.
1976-1980        Assistant Professor of Zoology, Arizona State University
1979 (summer)        Field work at the Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz
1980-1988        Associate Professor of Zoology, Arizona State University
1981-1982        Sabbatical Leave.  Field work at the Archbold Biological Station (Lake Placid, Florida; July-Dec 1981) and at the Long Marine Laboratory (University of California, Santa Cruz; Jan-June 1982)
1984 (fall)        Invited instructor, course in animal reproductive strategies, University of Stockholm, Sweden (19-26 Sept)
1987 (spring)        Invited participant, Binational Workshop on Desert Ecology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Sede Boqer, Israel (14-20 Mar)
1988-2015            Professor of Zoology, Arizona State University
1989 (spring)        Sabbatical leave, Visiting Professor, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia (Dec 88 - July 89)
1988-1992        Director of Undergraduate Programs, Department of Zoology, Arizona State University
1992            Invited participant, Evolution Education Conference, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge (4-5 Dec)
1993            Invited conference participant, Biology In Action: New Approaches to Teaching and Learning in Biology,  Radford University, Virginia (12-15 May)
1993             Participant, Teaching Strategies Workshop, Arizona State University (June; sponsored by Howard Hughes Medical Institute)
1994            Substitute for ASU Representative to Board of Directors meeting, Organization for Tropical Studies, San Jose, Costa Rica (24-26 March)
1994 (summer)        Visiting scientist, University of Stockholm, Sweden (15 May - 1 August)
1994- 1997        Associate Chair, Department of Zoology, Arizona State University
1995             Acting Chair, Department of Zoology, Arizona State University (Sept - Dec)
1996             Participant, NRC\NSF Regional Symposium on Undergraduate Education in Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology, Pomona College, CA (1 Feb)
1996            Panel Member, CAREERS Program, National Science Foundation (May)
1996            Invited participant, International Entomological Congress, Florence, Italy
1997-2000        Associate Editor, Animal Behaviour
1997-1999        Co-director, Biology and Society Program, Department of Biology Arizona State     University
1997            Visiting Scientist, University of Lund, Sweden (June-July (3 weeks))
1998-2002        Panel Member, Animal Behavior Program, National Science Foundation
1998            Invited participant, 3rd International Butterfly Ecology and Evolution Symposium, Crested Butte, Colorado (August16-19) (unable to attend)
1999            Visiting scientist, Department of Zoology, University of Lund, Sweden (January     - July)
1999-2003        Managing Director, Undergraduate Biology Enrichment Program, Department of Biology, Arizona State University
1999            Opponent for PHD Defense, Department of Zoology, University of Lund,     Sweden (December) 
1998-2001        Associate supervisor, PHD supervisory committee for Darrell Kemp, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
2002            External reviewer, Departmental Self Study, Department of Biology, Northern Arizona University (March-May)
2003-2006        Associate Director for Undergraduate Programs, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
2005            Opponent for PHD Defense, University of Antwerp, Belgium
2011        Director, School of Life Sciences Undergraduate Research (SOLUR) Program,             Arizona State University
2008            Visiting Scientist, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia (Jan -     May)
2009            Opponent for PHD Defense, University of Stockholm, Sweden (April)
2011            Opponent for PHD Defense, University of Stockholm, Sweden (March)
2010-2011        Co-Director, ASU-STRI Undergraduate Summer Research Program
2010- 2015        Co-Director, Animal Behavior PHD Program, Arizona State University
2012- 2015        Faculty Leader, Faculty in Organismal, Integrative, and Systems Biology, School         of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
2012 - present         Co-Director, Undergraduate programs, ASU IMSD Program
2013 - present        Editor, Animal Behaviour
2016 - present        Professor Emeritus, School of Life Sciences, ASU
2016            Panel member, Animal Behavior Program, National Science Foundation (March)

TEACHING ACTIVITIES AT ASU

Within the last 4 years

Comparative Invertebrate Zoology (ZOL 350/BIO 385) – Spring 2011 (28 semesters)
Research Techniques in Animal Behavior (ZOL 481, now BIO 435) – Spring 2012, Fall 2013, 2014,     2015, Spring 2016 (17 semesters)
Research Strategies in Animal Behavior (ANB 601) – Spring 2012, Fall 2013, 2014, 2015, Spring 2016      (5 semesters)
Current Issues in Animal Behavior (ANB 602) – Fall 2010 (one semester)
Introduction to Animal Behavior (ZOL 280/BIO 331) – Fall 2011, 2012 (3 semesters)
Career Paths in Life Sciences (BIO 189, breakout session) – Fall 2012 (one semester)
Seminar (BIO 294, 234, 494): For SOLUR participants – Fall, 2010, 2011, Spring 2011, Spring 2013,     2014 (17 semesters)
Seminar (BIO 591): Current Research in Tropical Systems – Fall 2010 (one semester)
Fieldwork (BIO 583) - Winter session 2011 in Panama
       
Prior to 2009

Marine Biology (ZOL 294) - Four semesters (new course)
Research Colloquium in Biology and Society (BIO 419) - 3 semesters (new course)
Special topics:    Current Research in Zoology (ZOL 494) - 5 semesters (new course) 
        Animal Communication (ZOL 498) - one semester (new course)
        Advanced Animal Behavior (BIO 494) - one semester (new course)
Seminar (BIO 394):    BREU - four semesters (new course)
Seminar (ZOL/BIO 591):     Animal Communication - 3 semesters (new course)
                Invertebrate Reproductive Behavior - one semester (new course)
                Philosophy of Teaching - one semester (new course)
                Teaching Biology Labs - six semesters (new course)
                Vision and Visual Signals - two semesters (new course)
The Living World (BIO 100; non-majors biology) - one semester
PS: Marine Science (BIO 394) - 5 times

Guest Participation in classes (last five years)

BIO 410 Professional Values in Science: Member of panel on mentoring, Spring 2010, 2012
BIO 189 Career Paths in Life Sciences: Lecture on Process of Science, Fall 2010, 2011
BIO 331 Animal Behavior, Spring 2014
BIO 386 General Entomology, Fall 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
BIO 494 Marine Biology, Spring 2014
BME 111 Engineering Perspectives on Biological Systems, Fall 2010, spring 2011
BIO 522 Evolutionary Ecology, Fall 2010, 2012, 2014
ELS 602 Field class, spring 2010, 2011
And others


AWARDS AND HONORS

Nominated for but did not receive College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award, 1987,1990
Nominated for but did not receive Parent's Association Professorship, Spring 1994
Nominated for but did not receive College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Advising Award, Spring 1999
Special Recognition, Parents Association, Spring 2005
Distinguished Faculty Award, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, October 2009
ASU Faculty Achievement Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Student Mentoring, 2010

UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE, AND POSTDOCTORAL TRAINEES

Undergraduate
    Completed

Elliot and Cooper Roads 11/19/2011 LAST NIGHT I WENT TO SEE RON RUTOWSKI AT PRANKSTER'S TOO. It was John Alcock's birthday, and I sat at their table. They invited me.

Sun Lakes 12/1/2019 I went to the Blind Pig to see Rutowski play. He was there and greeted me.

Elliot and Cooper Roads 11/19/2011 LAST NIGHT I WENT TO SEE RON RUTOWSKI AT PRANKSTER'S TOO. It was John Alcock's birthday, and I sat at their table. They invited me.

Elliot and Cooper Roads 11/19/2012 Saw Ron Rutowski last night. Very good. I went to Gallagher's of all places afterwards because I was hungry and went to the taquería and Gallagher's is next door. One couple was there. It was dead. Then some people came in. I put my books on the bar and went to the restroom. When I came back the books were gone and so were those people. I went out and asked them through their pick-up window in Spanish what had happened. They said they didn't know. I think those people took the books. Damn.

Sun Lakes 9/12/2022 Saw Ron Rutowski yesterday at the Blind Pig. It is a SMALL bar. Gave him my book Recuerdo de amnesia because he was in it.

Generic Place Anywhere 8/12/2018 Went to see Ron Rutowski in Scottsday with Rio Trio but he wasn't playing. He doesn't play on Sunday. It was a 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM gig at The Blind Pig. I sat at the bar and when I turned I didn't see Ron. The guy next to me told me that he was replaced on Sundays by a guitar player. Oh, but they were really good. The guitar player was excellent. The guy at the bar with me was 71 and the ex prosecutor for Ajo, Arizona. Kind of a disaster. The web page mentioned the guitarist's name but it didn't say Ron wouldn't be there.

Superstitions 11/11/2011 WENT WITH DITS AND STEVE. Oh, what scenery. Balancing rocks. Saguaro forests. I had my bad bpack and it was hard. Friday 11/11/11, we ran into some damned idiot with a gun and a terrifying dog. He was lost and we sent him in the wrong direction so he didn't go where we were going. Something wrong with him, his gun, his dog, and his idiot of a girlfriend. Got to Bluff Springs but there was no water as the rangers had reported and Dits didn't believe. It said on their sign that there would be an occasional drip from the pipe, but we didn't even see that. Went clean to Labarge springs and camped there. A family and some boy scouts were there. We chatted with them and camped in a good place far from them and from DOG AND GUN BOY. It wasn't very cold. We cooked and slept nine hours at least and then went to that BIG SPRING with the beautiful pool. Then we went to Needle Trail and found a place that had a puddle of water on a rock that we could use to drink. We filtered this tea-water and it was still yellow, but tasted good. Slept and then in the morning it rained. I was dry for a while but then it rained harder and I got kind of wet. My tarp leaked! By slapping bug was wet and weighed more. We got up and started hiking BEFORE LIGHT in the rain. We used our headlights. SCENERY BEYOND COMPARE. Endless balancing rocks. We took 7 1/2 hours to get to my truck. We met some guys who were biologists and knew Ron Rutowski. He's playing at PRANKSTERS TOO, in Scottsdale every friday night. I think it's scottsdale. We stopped at EL TACO and ate. It's on Apace Trail.

Sun Lakes 10/21/2019 Yesterday I went over to the Blind Pig clean out in Scottsdale because the Rio Trio site said they'd be there from three to six. I remembered that Ron Rutowski didn't go on Sundays but that was way back. I called the Blind pig and no one answered so I thought I'd take the chance and IT WAS CLOSED.

Sun Lakes 11/23/2015 yesterday I went to Carlsbad Tavern and saw Ron Rutowski.