Profile: Gill MacLaine

Personal background
Hi!
I live in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. I'm currently unable to work due to suffering with a balance disorder since February 2006. I'm heading towards 50 years old and live with my two indoor cats. It took me 8 years but in 2016 I graduated from the University of Sheffield with a BA (Hons) in archaeology. Due to the exhaustion aspect of my balance disorder, and recent diagnosis of borderline personality disorder I am unsure when I shall be able to return to work, but returning to study part time at the suggestion of a mental health occupational therapist in 2008 was one of the best decisions of my life. I realised I have a value despite my disabilities. To say archaeology has saved my life is no exaggeration.

I enjoy researching stuff, and my long term project is tracing my family tree. Finances and time not withstanding, I have so far traced the paternal line back to the late 16th Century in Derbyshire. I love driving and over the years have owned a few motorbikes and cars, and driven all sizes of vehicle up to midsized vans. Will work my way up to an articulated truck one day!

My beliefs could be described as spiritual but very open minded.... I also volunteer with a paranormal investigation group.
For fun, I love to drive out to the Peak District National Park which is on my doorstep in geological terms. The countryside is so peaceful and inspiring out there. When I'm not gazing at the terra firma, I'm gazing skyward at night, marvelling at the myriad of stars garnishing the heavens....
Thoughts about SETI and SETI@home
I have always been open to the idea of intelligent life "out there". As a child, I had long discussions with my mum about that very possibility. It would be very arrogant of us to assume we're the only intelligent life in the Universe, and if that really is the case.....that's a lot of wasted space! Mum passed away in June 2017 so after a hiatus I have started running SETI@home again kind of in her honour.

I run SETI@home to help us explore the stars until technology catches up, and then one day, we can safely navigate with our own spaceships. Even if we don't find a sentient species out there, the data we are helping to analyse with our home PC's can provide evidence of other scientific events, evidence which will help us discover how the Universe was created. Maybe we'll also be able to see if something rather large and celestially devastating is heading towards us, so atleast we may have time to duck......!
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