The crew you see here is the crew that currently shares my living space. Well, except for the girl on the far left (my son’s girlfriend), she only lives here most of the time, and missing is my newest (January 2004) addition, Lily, a 10 year old permanent foster child from Columbia. In addition to this group, we have had a few other foster children through the years who have grown up and moved on, as well as our oldest, Rose Mary, who is now 35 and has 5 children of her own. In the photo, left to right, back row we have Sara & Timothy (19 & 19, a set), Victor II (22 and my oldest by birth), Martha (my first wife, age undisclosed for personal safety reasons), Me (in da shades), and seated, there is Autumn (17), JoHannah (17 and my youngest child by my first wife), and Summer (15). My greatest need right now is parking space. Just among those pictured we have 7 vehicles (that includes my Suzuki Intruder 800).

I am currently the Director of Technology and Library Media Services in Bedford County Public Schools, in Bedford, Virginia. I have been with Bedford County for over 11 years. I began as the itinerant teacher for the hearing impaired which I did for 3 years, I taught computer science for grades 9-12 for one year, and I was in charge of the gifted program, textbooks, libraries, and technology for 3 years. When I started in the technology department 8 years ago, I was both a technician and a software trainer and there were 3 of us in the department. We only had around 600 computers in the entire school system then. We now have 14 of us in the department and over 3000 computers. My how things change!

I grew up in Buckeystown, Maryland (population 600; 2 intersections, 3 churches, 3 stop signs, 2 gas stations, and a phone booth). I went to Frederick High School. We were across town from the Maryland School for the deaf, where I took integrated classes my last 3 yrs. of school. I worked a couple of years as a supervisor in a training workshop for mentally and physically handicapped adults, I spent one booorrrriinnngggg year working in an American Optical factory as a mill-pad operator. Later on I took sign language interpreting classes at the Frederick Community college and eventually became a professional interpreter. I moved to Lynchburg, Virginia where I interpreted and trained interpreters at the college level for 10 years, and also helped establish the interpreter training program at Central Virginia Community College. I taught in that program evenings for about 3 years. I was the campus director of the Lynchburg National Business College for the three years just prior to going to work for Bedford Schools. I have licenses to drive almost any land vehicle other than a semi, (my licenses include: chauffeurs, motorcycle, truck, and bus with school bus and air brake endorsements), I am a jack-of-all-trades and enjoy working with plumbing, electrical, and construction work (I built a ceramic tile shower room from scratch a few years ago and did everything myself.), I am also a reserve sheriff’s deputy for the Bedford County Sheriff’s office where I work with “Blue Ridge Thunder” on computer crimes and recently taught classes to state troopers at the Lynchburg Police Academy. I currently do sign language interpreting for the plays at the Lynchburg Academy of Fine Arts and the graduation ceremonies of Lynchburg College, as well as other community events upon request. Over the last 20 years I have had the privilege of interpreting for Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Sr., and George Bush, Jr., twice each, and for William F. Buckley, Walter Mondale, and Jesse Jackson each once. I have been married for almost 24 years and I still open the car door for my wife and she gets breakfast in bed almost every morning. I get going at 5 am, 5 days a week and cook a hot breakfast for the children at least 4 days a week (I reserve one floating “cereal” date, tba J). I enjoy reading and learning, but now 5 weeks into the work load of this class, am questioning my sanity (more so than usual!). Seafood is my favorite, with Alaskan King Crab legs and peel-and-eat shrimp steamed with Old Bay seasoning topping the list. Well, it’s bed time and I’m about to trail off… so, so long for now…