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graduated from mansfield state college in 1983 with a degree in art education. couldn't find a job as an art teacher but started working at tallix making sculpture(bronze, stainless steel,etc). got married to kathie that same year on new years day(you generally have the day off and there was usually a party). lived in yorktown for a while where charlie was born then moved to wappingers to work with tallix in beacon where katie was born. worked with tallix til 1990 the decide it was time to move on and had an opportunity with another art foundry called art research in lancaster,pa. we packed up all our stuff and moved to a town called mount joy in lancaster county. sometime in the early 92 it was evident that i had a drug and alcohol problem and entered a rehab in december of that year, was scared as hell but one way or another it was gonna kill me.been clean and sober ever since and been through many things good and bad. in 1995 i got the call that my father had died and it was a tripback to the funeral.was a tough time. sometime in 1999 kath and me weren't getting along and she moved out(her apartment was a block away) chalie chose to live with me and katie went with kathie. we worked on things and were just starting to get back together when one day at work i got cut across my throat with a grinder and ended up in the er. missed the jugular by 1/8 inch. well that was a wake up call all the way around and we reconciled and got back together. after we reconciled we decided to buy a house, after much searching in the area we live we found a place in a town called maytown,we were able to purchase it at auction(sometimes things in pa. are different and moved in .same school district but the kids hated it, maytown has a traffic circle a post office,a bank and a general store,quiet. just the place to live if you can get out and get away(we al remember what that was like as teens).not long after that my mom was diagnosed with cancer.she ad been living in florida after selling the house in mahopac after pops death.she was up for a visit when we got the news and we decided that she should stay here,get an apartment and go to penn state for her care.she lived for about 6 months after the diagnosis and it was good to have her around. she passed away in 02 and it was comforting to be there and hold her hand when she left to be with dad(she allways missed him).time goes by and we get older and metalwork takes its toll both physically and mentally(i worked for some crazy#$#@%n people!!!). got in a car accident,screwed up a knee, had surgery and time to figure that 25 yrs of making sculpture was enough. i got a job with a local welding company to use my metalworking skills and became a member of the road crew.i get out of the shop,build things,see how things are made(we work for several manufacturers) and just about every day is different. kathie says i haven't been happier in a long time. Along the way we have hosted an exchange student from ecquador, adopted 2 dogs,several cats,and been active in the kids lives. charlie has artistic aspirations and is going to cosmetology school to pay for college.katie loves musical theater and has vollunteered me several times to help with productions,she spent a year in new york city in city year doing community service. as for my kids i can say i,m proud of them and it was nice to be on a first name basis with the principal and staff of the school for good things they did. life goes on and we can never go back,we make the best of what we're given,look back fondly(and foggily) and see what tomorrow brings. who knows someday i may get to use that art education degree?
