Hobbies

Everyone in my family are and were great cooks. My maternal grandfather, paternal grandmother, both of my parents, my brother, and both of my sons were or are excellent cooks. I first started cooking at age 4.

My maternal grandfather taught me to make scrambled eggs. An easy first dish. I never did develop his taste for putting ketchup on them though.

The most I have cooked for is 350. It was for my sons’ cross country coaches’ wedding reception. Wow. 

I even cooked professionally at the Spare-Time Grill in Alexandria, Kentucky for six months before they closed down.

My maternal grandfather was an avid photographer. I loved looking at his photo albums from their early 20th century. ‘37 flood, ‘20s cars, Cincy skyline in the ‘30s all fascinated me. I had a simple Kodak box camera (120) as a kid in the ‘60s. Just took kid stuff, but I had fun with it.

Then, in the late ‘70s, I became serious about photography. I had a chance to buy a used Olympus Pen FT (35 mm, half-frame). I started doing well with, learning the nitty-gritty of SLR cameras, and started taking some nice snaps.

I was working in the NKU Administration Computer Department as a programmer, when Dave, our lead programmer, noticed my photographic work and asked if I would like to do wedding photography. $25 per wedding, food and entertainment (look at my Humor section for some great wedding stories). That was almost a day’s pay for my regular job for just a few hours of work. I jumped on it, learned wedding photography (and even more photographic skills), and shot about 200 weddings all tolled. 

Sort of got out of photography when the kids grew older. However, during Brandon’s senior year he volunteered for the Yearbook team. I asked him what he was going to be doing and he said he was the photographer. I informed him he knew zero about photography. He told me he knew that and I was going to teach him. 

So I struck a deal with him. I would go halvies on a nice 35 mm SLR setup and he would get to keep it as a graduation present. Off he went taking yearbook pictures.

Yearbook all turned in and he tells me he hates photography. That’s how I started back up in photography during the summer of 2000.

I started shooting as a kid (around 8 or 9). My dad was a member of the Bob White club south of Alexandria, Kentucky and that’s where we did our shooting.  He bought me a Beretta 12 Gauge, single shot shotgun for my 12th birthday to use to shoot trap. Been into firearms ever since.

Yes, I am a staunch 2A supporter.

I started in computers at Northern Kentucky University as a math major and took MAT 360, Programming In BASIC. I fell in love with computers. The thing I love most about computers the most is they do exactly what you tell them to do. Also, the thing hate most about computers is they do exactly what you tell them to do. 

I love solving problems using computers and programs. I started at NKU as a computer operator in 1976 and became a programmer at NKU 6 months later. I left NKU and worked for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) starting in December 1979 as a Software Specialist. Left there in Spring 2000 to become an independent consultant. One of my clients was H & R Block in Columbus, Ohio. They hired me full time in September 2001. 

H & R Block made the poor decision of entering the Subprime lending market. When the excrement hit the fan, I was a casualty of the huge layoffs that followed. I retired from the computer profession at that point.

But, I always told people during that time that I got paid for my hobby.

I am becoming more proficient in Adobe’s Premiere Pro Video Editing and Production Software. 

I have created many videos for friends, family and my church. 

You can see some of my productions here.