The Q+A – two student, two teachers/staff members, each month. This month we sat down with technology staff member Mr. Daniel Moreno.

Conducted by Leigh Jacobson

Spotlight Editor

Common misconception about teachers:

Firstly, I am in the IT Department but get confused for being a teacher naturally.  Common misconception about someone in IT is that we know everything and everything about any piece of software and anything that has a power cord attached and an LCD display in front of it; i.e. , microwaves, stereo equipment, flight op satellites.  Most of us are good problem solvers so we can help; we don’t have technical manuals memorized by heart.

Most creative gift, given or received:

My 8 year old, last year, ‘built’ me an ‘apple computer’ out of felt, matt board, colored and glitter glues and when he was done it worked well as a picture frame which he also provided me with a couple of ‘screen saver’ drawings.

Movie you’ve seen the most:

It’s probably Disney’s animated “Alice in Wonderland”

Book you’ve read most:

That would be “Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone”, to my son, over and over.

Fictional character you identify with:

I would say Aniken Skywalker/Darth Vader, yes I know, typical computer nerd Star Wars fan.  But I say him cause he follows his own logic and has to learn things on his own and walks around with a mask on that makes you not want to ever be alone in a room with him and for whatever reason I think that’s how I am perceived.  My family and friends that are close, however, know that inside I have their best interest in mind above my own and would do anything for them which I think is what this character tried to do but made mistakes which happens when your not willing to admit defeat.

Obsolete item you won’t trash:

I will hold onto items for long periods of time, I only recently tossed out an Aiwa walkman cassette player after 12 years, but nothing is permanent.

What you wanted to be at age 10:

Oddly, that is when I was introduced to computers, the Apple IIC, programming in Logo and thought how cool it was to type in a bunch of odd commands and watch it create your vision on the screen.  I had long forgotten about wanting to work with computers but my path brought me back.

Student pet peeve:

Being in IT, I hear computer failure is a common excuse why an assignment is not done.  Get it done first of all and save, save, SAVE your work.

Procrastination technique:

Usually I will do little things first before sitting down to do the big things cause then I let the little things distract me so I just get them out of the way.  I think that is kind of procrastinating.

Secret hobby:

I suppose most people at Milken don’t know this but I graduated with a degree in Art and love pinhole photography.  I make them mostly out of tin cans, but most anything can be turned into a pinhole camera, and will take them out with me and see what develops; pun intended.

Favorite historical figure:

Salvador Dali.

Favorite piece of art in your home/anywhere:

At the Norton Simon, they used to have on display Wassily Kandinsky’s “Heaver Circles” which I have always held interest in.  I am a fan of the abstract.

Movie star you always wanted to be:

I don’t think I have said I would want to be him but I am a fan of Willem Dafoe.

Favorite gadget:

I don’t know if it can be called a gadget but you can use them for nearly everything from poking, scraping, picking, hanging with, drawing, quick fixing, attaching, I can go on and on, they are super flexible and can be found nearly everywhere, the paper clip.

Topic you love but won’t discuss at a party:

There isn’t anything I wouldn’t talk about unless I know nothing about it.  I am lost when it comes to politics so I don’t discourage any discourse but definitely don’t participate.

The last meal you had:

My family and I had Vietnamese noodles at our favorite spot in Alhambra, Pho 79.

Funniest English word:

Knick-knack.

Most memorable teaching experience:

Often time’s people will come to me lost when it comes to computers.  I try and lead them to the answer they are looking for rather than just doing or showing them how.  Typically they find they can do more on their own than they imagined and sometimes come back and will teach me something I did not know how to do or knew was even possible.

Most-visited website, why:

It’s probably a toss up now between Google and, I hate to admit it, Facebook.  Obviously Google cause it’s the gateway to everything on the net and Facebook because I can catch up with everyone I know and interact with them even if they are not right there with me.

Favorite cancelled-too-soon TV show:

Macgyver cause there was so much more to learn!

Most beloved/interesting item at your office desk:

Remember that “apple computer” picture frame I mentioned earlier?  Well that is sitting on my desk now with a photo of my two sons in it.