THE UNCLASSIFIED GET SMART SITE

The Unclassified Get Smart Site began in the late 1990s as something of a hobby and an educational outing. I started this site while a college student (English BA, Purdue '02). This was an era before blogs, Facebook and smart phones. Personal websites were all the rage - you just had to know how to make one. At that time the site was called "Amanda's Swinging Website" and included sections on Get Smart, The Beatles and Swing music.

Get Smart was a love of mine since I first laid eyes on the black and white pilot, "Mr. Big." It was a no-brainer to make a site on it. At the time there wasn't much attention devoted to the show. It was not being shown on TV in the United States much to the dismay of fans desperate for just a peek at an episode. It would be nearly 10 years until the show would be available on DVD - and that was thanks to the efforts of fans campaigning.

In real life I've spent over 20 years working in the newspaper business. I spent a number of those years as a business/casino/steel mill/everything else reporter. Later the role of religion editor moved onto my plate. Eventually I moved to the copy desk, laying out my own sections - faith and community - as well as the entire newspaper some nights.

And in other business, this is Kaos. We don't talk shop here.

In unrelated matters, I spent my childhood on the East Coast. (Scrapple? Old Bay anyone?) I later moved to 'da Region. I am married to a cartoonist and am a crazy cat lady - although I'm currently cat-less.

In my spare time --wait! What's spare time? All I have time for anymore is eating, sleeping and chores. Ugh. When there is spare time I get a kick out of working on my literary and artistic endeavors.

Believe it or not I do some writing outside of the realm of articles on cats stuck in trees and editing other people's stories about zoning problems. I prefer to write fiction and have been fighting with a series of novels for...let's just call it a good long while. At one point I kept busy with writing Get Smart fan fiction, which can be found on my Get Smart website. Due to that "spare time" issue I gave that up.

To some degree I'm also compulsive artist. Busting out the charcoal pencils, the acrylics and whatnot actually keep me from wigging out. I share some of those projects over on Instagram at @ahaverstick86.