Past
Teen years: As a teenager, I was always on the go. I played junior high and four years of varsity football. I sang tenor in the coral group and played saxophone and base guitar in a five piece band I formed. I studied fine art for four years and considered it my best subject. I always wanted to have my own business and make some money. I was good with my hands and had a creative mind. If I wanted to know how to do something, I would find a way to learn how to do it.
Goals as a teen: My goals as a teenager were vague but they were goals. I always wanted to go to college and have my own business but didn't have a clue how I was going to accomplish that.
The "good life as a teen: ...was doing the things I loved to do and doing them with the people that shared in that interest. If that required spending time alone, that was okay too! I think I kept flexible. Mentally, I was always going places, and as I look back I see that it must have been hard for most kids my age to relate to that. When I would see a man in a Jag, I would always say to myself: "Why him and not me?" I think I always wanted some of the finer things that life has to offer. I looked up to people who had things I wanted. I tried to learn from them. I never felt that my goals were unrealistic. If I wanted something badly enough, I would make a definite commitment to myself then go out and find a way to get it.
Most important thing in life as a teen: No doubt, the most important thing to me as a teen was extra curricular activities! The three R's never really interested me. That was all too logical, too left-brained. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was using all of my creative resources. I was mostly involved in "right brain" activities. I liked sports, music and art. I disliked math, science and English.
The hardest part of becoming an adult: ...was taking responsibility for myself. You develop that over time. The quicker you do it, the quicker you grow.
Deciding on a career: I graduated from high school in 1964 and from college in 1969. The war was escalating in Vietnam and my lottery number was 7. That meant that as soon as I got my degree, I was in the Army. They were still deferring students and teachers. I was against the war, so I knew I had to go into teaching because it was the only legal way to stay out of the draft. I taught fine arts for seven years at the high school level. I think it was the war that helped me to decide what career path to follow more than anything or anyone else.
Getting started in home building: I am a first generation builder. I started my building company by myself over twenty years ago. I have always had an innate desire to create things. I am an artist by education and am able to continue being creative by designing my own homes.
Mentors: I have had several mentors over the years, all of which were local custom builders.
Personal milestones: I was born in 1946, nine months and five minutes after my dad was discharged from the service. I was a teen though the 60's so that means I was one of the first "baby boomers"! I was born into a Catholic family and attended 12 years in a Catholic school and taught seven years in a Catholic high school. I believe that religious training was a positive influence during my formative years. Another milestone was my acceptance into college: I was told by my high school guidance counselor that I wasn't college material. Another milestone was the day I quit working for others and ventured out on my own to follow my dreams. At 30 years old, I was involved in a potentially fatal auto accident. A man ran a stop sign and hit my car just behind the driver's door. I was thrown free from the car and it was demolished. I didn't die, but I should have. I was laid up for the better part of a year, with broken bones and continuous migraine headaches. For the first time in my life, I was not in control. I was physically incapacitated. All I could do was think and read. At this point in my life, I had never read anything. I read a copy of Think and Grow Rich and it changed my life. It gave me the direction I was searching for. I never would have stopped long enough to read this book or any book had it not been for my accident.
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