ExecCollections: Robert Adcox - Channel Expert

If you know me, you will also see that I travel a lot. The backpack symbolizes my love for travel and passion for exploring known and unknown territory. Whether I’m on a journey for work or pleasure, cherished memories are abundant. Back in the day, when maps were only made of paper (and just folding it back up took a college-level education), I proudly took on the position of navigator for my dad on our family vacations. I learned quickly that the dotted line along the route on a map designates a “scenic byway.” As a navigator on those family outings, I had the advantage of steering my dad along those dotted, beautiful paths. This leads me to my first Robism, “Always take the dotted line. You won’t regret it.”

What is a Robism, you ask? These little nuggets of wisdom I’ve collected or created over the years help shape my view of the world and how I interact with everyone and everything I encounter.

A keen eye will also notice my Star Wars luggage tag hanging from my backpack. This represents my love of Star Wars and all things Sci-Fi. I’m grateful to be of the generation fortunate to have seen the first Star Wars film in the theater in 1977. As the oldest child and grandchild, I had every family member take me to see Star Wars as a youngling countless times! I’m open-minded and appreciate all forms of fantasy/sci-fi, including Star Trek, Godzilla, Lord of the Rings, and many others. If the word “Nerd” comes to mind, I take it as a compliment!

My JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speaker exemplifies my love of music. Rarely am I in the car or at home without music playing somewhere. Thanks to my parents, my childhood was filled with music. Mom danced and sang along with her favorites, Latin, Pop, Disco, and Crooners, while Dad enjoyed Country, Gospel, and Singer-Songwriters. From a very early age, I sang and have continued to do so my whole life. I am proud to have been head of the bass section in my church choir, and I enjoy singing karaoke with friends. I’m often on the road for work, and the odds are high that if you drove past me, I’d be singing the time away.

Since I hinted at my creative side with my singing, the shadow box of patches embodies my artistic side. I come from a very artistic family; hence, I have a deep passion for drawing, painting, and creating with whatever I have available. I’m the oldest of four siblings. Much to my mother’s chagrin, as a youngster, I would pull the toybox out of the way so my siblings and I could draw on the wall. This began my desire to express myself through art very early on. My son’s Boy Scout Troop asked me to design a patch for the troop several years ago, and I readily agreed. From there, the word spread, and all the designs you see here are just one year’s worth of creations for the Boy Scouts. My Apollo 11 - 50^th Anniversary patch set received high distinction from artists and patch enthusiasts.

Space is by far one of my most significant interests. Learning about Space, mankind’s venture into the Heavens, and the massive amount of science about it fascinates me. I was thrilled to attend the Kennedy Space Center recently with BlueStar’s Vartech. From the first Shuttle launch in 1980 and witnessing the Challenger and Columbia disasters live, I’ve been captivated by the Space Shuttle program. Viewing the Atlantis Shuttle exhibit in all its glory and observing a SpaceX launch live were significant bucket list items for this Space fanboy.

Little excites me more than experiencing the wonders of this world, and second to that is the ability to capture them perfectly in a photograph. As an avid explorer, the camera signifies my affection for photography. I purchased this Canon T2i when my son was a newborn, and he is now in his third year at Texas A&M University.

This camera has witnessed everything from childhood firsts to National Parks to Once-in-a-lifetime events. My professional photographer sister taught me the basics of SLR cameras. That knowledge and my efforts at capturing a precise frozen moment in time have given way to a hobby I love sharing with others. The fruits of my labor were realized last year during an art exhibition that featured my siblings and me. That was a first and an honor to be on display with the talents of real artists like my siblings.

One of my aspirations is to become good at taking astrophotography pictures, which melds my love of space and photography. This past April, I had the fortune of setting up directly in the path of the Solar Eclipse that crossed over Texas. I was surprised even with how well the photos turned out.

The book of National Parks represents my love of the outdoors. Another facet of my personality is that I love the outdoors—some like the beach, some like the mountains, and others like their local parks. I can say I love all of those, plus so much more. I stop and feel nature amongst the trees in the forest, listen to the birds, or watch the squirrel struggle to get seeds from a birdfeeder. Anything that takes me out of my house and into God’s wondrous creation is worth my time and attention.

The National Parks are easily my favorite places to explore whenever possible. I’ve been to 30 National Parks and counting. I would like to see them all one day, but I know that is a lofty goal. I know it makes people giggle when they hear the phrase “Nature Calls.” I feel it’s more of a whisper or nudge to go outside and see something new if I have my camera, which I usually do, all the better.

Hiking Pole

Sunglasses