# General Topics > Member of the Month >  MOTW - Aug 12- Aug 18 2012 - Donlisk

## Jen

Congratulations to this week's Member of the Week - Donlisk!

Can't wait to learn more about you Don!!!

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## Don

Hi Folks,
It began so long ago, a small town, northeastern Pennsylvania, and when things were simpler.
I grew up in a town where most everyone was somehow related, you hung out with cousins, and you spent almost all your time outside playing, fishing, hunting, and hanging out.  I found out early that i really liked to work and mainly due to the things I could do with the money I earned.
Painting pickets on houses, washing dishes at a local restaurant, pumping gas, and traveling with a carnival for three years, and all before I was even 14 years old.

After High School, I entered the military and decided on the Submarine Force since on a submarine you have the oppertunity to learn a very large range of jobs and skills.
I really enjoyed seeing so many countries while serving, from most of South America and the Caribbean, to Europe and Asia. Although I did get to visit so many places, I rarely did get to visit tourist type sights and spent much of my time in chasing girls and drinking. Yeah typical sailor :-)

Got to live in Japan for three years, which was so cool. Traveled the big island on a motorcycle and really enjoyed the people, food, and experiences I had there.

From there until present, I married a nice girl whom I met while working for a local firearms manufacturer. After working there for 10 years, they closed the business doors due to being bought out corporation.  Both myself and my wife found ourselves without work as did 500 other families. 

I went without work for one full year since most places want to pay almost nothing anymore. I went to school for 4 months, gaining some re-education in the IT Help Desk field and just recently was provided a great opportunity to work for a Veteran Owned Business that manufactures medical equipment.
The job is pretty awesome but for now keeps me busy and not here on the forum as much as I use to be. Since its a new job, salaried position, I stay there late, get in early, and need to learn so much before I feel i secured a long term position with the company.


As for my interest in Frog Forum and Frogs.
Started out as many others we find here did, bought a frog thinking that my years of keeping saltwater fish, lizards, and snakes, would be more than enough to care for a frog. Ha, how little I knew and how much I needed to learn.

My first frog was a Whites Tree Frog and after finding him hiding in the back of the tank 24/7, i can here for help. I met so many helpful and wonderful people, many still here and some we don't see here anymore.
I learned that i love to build tanks into self-sufficient living things, full of plants, and with these amazing and cool creatures.
I love to hear them calling in the morning and see how they wait patiently for me to come and feed. I can spend hours without a TV or radio on and stare at the tanks and frogs.


Now, after a few years of keeping frogs, building tanks, and most recently, caring for tadpoles from all the dart frogs, I still find myself wanting more and learning more.
I presently have 3 pairs of dart frogs, two Red Eyed Leaf Frogs, a crested gecko (which the granddaughter had to have), and a ton of tadpoles slowly changing into froglets.


I had four beautiful Whites Tree Frogs, and they have been transferred to a FF member, since where we were living didn't allow pets and these guys were loud enough to be heard at the end of the block :-)
Really miss them though. 


_Oh, recently moved to a much less expensive apartment which allows me to have any pets i want, and actually is a nicer place in a nicer part of town. Can't wait to catch up bills and add some more tanks and frogs to the frog rack :-)_


Well, thats a lot i think and hopefully gives you an idea about me, and who I am.

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## Jen

Great to know more about you Don!
You must have been excited to be MOTW!  You have completed Mon & Tues entries!  :Frog Smile:

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## Don

> Great to know more about you Don!
> You must have been excited to be MOTW!  You have completed Mon & Tues entries completed!


Had some myself time this morning as everyone is sleeping in here.
   Even had time to make a list for my next frog supply order that I'll be placing this week since I'll be getting my 1st real paycheck in quite some time  :-)

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## Wicked frogs

Same story here i just started work up in Nashua was laid off for a half of a year well thanks for your little spiel i really enjoyed it  :Smile: 

Timmy Z
Wicked Frogs

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## Colleen/Jerrod

Good to hear more about you Don.  :Smile: 

I'm glad everything is working well now.  :Smile:

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## Don

Tim, I am thinking on taking a road trip to Black Jungle this coming Saturday if your interested.

Its a 3 1/3 hour ride for m one way but gotta love road trips.

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## Wicked frogs

I know that you said you are thinking if you are for sure definitely let me know but i will for sure let you know this week cause i am not sure if i am working i have to get my schedule this week but i have never been there and i hear a lot of good stuff about black jungle. I became a truck driver for the awesomeness of road trips i used to deliver floor buffers that clean,buff like stop and shop's hannafords etc i would deliver all the way up to northern Maine like Columbia falls/Machias ME all the way up to Derby VT all the way out to Buffalo NY i loved it i would be in the White Mountains one day and be in NYC the next but yea i google maped it from my city it's a little over 2 hours which aint bad just e-mail me or i will do the same this week and hey guy's i just picked me up a new lil guy yesterday check it out! http://www.frogforum.net/african-bul...hrow-here.html

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## Faith

Congrats on MOTW Don! Loved hearing more about you, can't wait for the rest of the week's entries  :Smile:

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## Heather

Hey Don! It's nice to read about you. 

So, as I am from Erie, Pa I just have to ask where in NE Pa you were from?

It's funny, my ex-husband was a Marine in security forces also. We lived in Bangor, Wa and then later 29 Palms, Ca for a few years. He also went over seas, to Korea. It was fun traveling. I loved all of the beautiful scenery. How long were you enlisted?

Well, you are the master of tank building  :Smile: . You have taught so much here. It is greatly appreciated  :Smile: . 

Do you think you'll ever build a walk-in viv? I wish you were here to help me build for the zoo with me. I may have to PM you you when the time comes if that's okay?

It sounds as though you are a hard worker. Congrats on the new job!

What are your favorite frogs?

Congrats on MOTW!  :Smile:

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## Don

*Tuesday: Frogs*

Before I get to answering questions, I'll resist and stick with the format of MOTW.

I have always liked to learn new things and then that usually turns into an addiction or I find it just wasn't for me.
My first frog was a _Litoria caerulea,_ Whites Tree Frog, which was a spur of the moment buy from a local Petco.  After returning home, setting up his tank, and then days later finding out he would only hide, I realized I was into something I knew nothing about.
I have kept snakes, lizards, reef and fish only saltwater tanks, but never did I feel so helpless for this little guy as he slept on the back glass and cowered in the substrate when we tried to view him.
I came here looking for help and was given more help then I ever imagined.  

After adding a second to the tank, changing decor, correcting humidity, lighting and temps, I had two amazing frogs that were immediately out when it was feeding time, and active all night long. 

I continued to read and come here to learn more, and see others cool frogs, which led me to purchasing two more Whites and a beautiful pair of *Agalychnis callidryas,* Red Eyed Tree Frogs. 

I slowly become interested in Dart Frogs, due to the amazing colors, but more the beautiful vivariums they lived in.  I decided to take on building my first viv, and with the help of members here, and the help I received from another forum, I build my first PDF tank in a 20 long.  I decided at that time to also create a journal and make it full of pics with tons of info on how it was built.
I was so thrilled with the outcome and the choice of darts I had that I really needed to make another viv. Yes, and then another, followed by another.   I learned something with every build, from design and function, to material choices and what was needed for lighting.   Building is relaxing and one of my favorite parts to this hobby.


I now maintain 3 PDF vivs with male/female pairs, a RETF Viv, and a Crested Gecko setup.
I also have been raising my first tadpoles this year and it seems the PDF's are going to just keep on laying more and more eggs.  My first froglet left the water last week and he is so awesome.  Should have five more leaving the water this week.

As stated in my introduction on Monday, the 4 awesome WTFs moved on to another forum member and they were the beginning to this addiction and my family and I miss their antics and croaking.  I will note than even when asleep, if one of the frogs croaked, I would see a smile come across my sleeping wife's face.  Yeah, they are probably my favorite and the coolest frog.



Don

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## Don

I grew up in Moosic PA.  Was stationed in Bremerton WA while we decommissioned one of the subs i was on.
answering this from my phone and it's not fun :-)

Did 16 1/2 years Navy and had some prior service.
I need a walk in vivid and your more than welcome to ask for help anytime.

Favorite frog is definitely WTFs.  But PDFs really have my attention now.

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## Jen

*Wednesday*, show and tell. Wow us with your pictures/videos/sound clips.

REALLY looking forward to this one Don!

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## Faith

I think this is my favorite part of the MOTW  :Big Grin:  And ty to you Don for your service in the Navy! That is awesome.

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## Don

Ill try and get some pics up tonight.  internet is down at my place so may have to run for a milkshake :-)

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## Lynn

Don,
I’m truly honored to have met you. You have been a great FF friend. One special enough to _“follow around”_, learning every and any possible little pearl of wisdom about frog keeping. I am grateful  :Adoration:  to have shared any post with you. You listen and eagerly explain things in your answers to so many questions we have all asked. I thank you for this ! 

It's wonderful to get to know you a little better. Enjoy your milkshake !
Lynn  :Butterfly:

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## Don

Thanks Lynn, Faith, Jenna.  I have been so busy lately with the new job that I iss so many posts here lately.  Can't wait until I am done training and not putting in all the extra hours at the new place.

As for pics, I really have nothing new since I put tham all in my FF Albums.
        I had no internet until this evening so I'll try and tke some new pics and post them here over the next week,


Oh did have some excitement last night when the Presidents helicopter landed next to my house :-)  He wasn't on-board but it was cool to have a pile of escort helicopters all landing and security everywhere.

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## Don

OK, time for some pics as promised:

Me, father in-law and my inherited brother


My granddaughter with an owl that was at a local sporting goods show.  She showed no signs of fear or issues with the huge weight of that owl.  She also got to handle some falcons that day.




Think she has some attitude?



Our father in-laws place (now in our name) in Puerto Rico



Some shots of the local beaches near our place in PR
   (Click images to enlarge)

    

A favorite meal while in PR, octopus salad



Two rides I really wish I still had


And a great sign from the local watering hole

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## NatureLady

Nice to read all about you Don! 
Beautiful Granddaughter, amazing PR photo's(wish I could be in one of those photos now!), and awesome choice in bikes!!!! 
Like it was said before, thank you for serving our country!  :Yankee:

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## Don

Thanks Amanda.   

   Yeah, miss the bikes but glad to have slowed down some in my life.  The granddaughter is awesome and keeps us pretty busy so the bikes changed into bicycles and scooters and RC cars and pets and oh the list never ends :-)

:-)

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## Jen

I'll admit....the Octopus salad threw me off!   (Then again I don't eat any type of fish/seafood!)

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## Faith

Loved the pics! You have a gorgeous home, country and granddaughter - what great blessings  :Smile:  And that sign made me LOL hard, I know quite a few people that would agree with that  :Stick Out Tongue:  Thanks for sharing with us!

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## Colleen/Jerrod

Don you are most certainly a valued asset to this forum. I loved the photos and always look forward to seeing any of yours. You are very knowledgeable and polite. Always willing to help members when you can. Glad you found a new job as its tough times out there and not a lot to find. I myself wish I would be laid off so I can focus more on my breeding project/business in the future  :Wink: .

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## newbiefrogger12

Love your choice of hobbies I share many of them. And those bikes are amazing. 
Thanks for your help deciding my frog setup too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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