Growing up I had an interest in music, which included playing several different instruments and I joined the marching band drum line. I increased my musical circle by ringing hand bells with the new director at Springfield United Methodist Church. I discovered an appreciation & a talent for ringing early on & always strived to improve my abilities & techniques.

During the 80’s I discovered my passion for ice hockey. The US Olympic Team had just beaten the Soviets & won the gold medal at Lake Placid & I remember all of us kids on the street-playing hockey on the frozen street & then on the dry pavement during the spring & summer. I didn’t get a chance to play on ice until the late 80’s when a co-worker told me that they rented out the local rink on Friday nights & played pick-up for a few hrs.

After graduating from H.S., I went to JMU in Harrisonburg, VA. It was my dream school, since I had attended orchestra festivals there while I was growing up. I was friends’ with the orchestra director & I believe it was with his help that I was accepted to the university. They also have a great marching band there & I enjoyed my yr as a Marching Royal Duke.

However, due to some questionable course advice, I returned home & started working for a "record" store at the nearby mall. They had a store in Harrisonburg, so I was hoping to transfer back to JMU the following yr & have a job as well. During my time at the record store I got to meet record label representatives & was talking about the industry with them.

I signed up for a real ice hockey league & spent quite a bit of money getting equipment. I wanted to play goaltender, so I had to spend quite a bit more than the regular person, but I was able to manage it back then. Our 1st season we went undefeated & we won our city championship. We would consistently have good seasons but would fall short during the playoffs. Then 1yr we finally won the playoffs & the city championships. We earned a bid to represent our level in the Toronto regional tournaments but we were mostly outmanned & outgunned & we lost our 3 games.

Retail became a drag for me, so after a few yrs I quit & got a "real" job working for a savings bank. I worked my way up from teller to branch assistant in a little over 8 yrs. Still during this time I was ringing hand bells, even getting the opportunity to perform at the White House & the Duke University Chapel, but the program at Springfield had died down so I transferred my membership to St. Matthew’s United Methodist, since I knew the director there & I knew that she had a great program.

I had also gotten a chance to bowl in the White House bowling league for 2 yrs (till 9/11) since a friend of mine from the hockey team’s father-in-law was a member of the league.  

February's Flower Violet Botanical name : Viola Meaning : Faithfulness

Greek legend tells of a nymph named Lo, who was beloved by Zeus. To hide her from Hera, his wife, Zeus changed Lo into a white crow. When Lo wept over the taste and texture of the Coarse grass, Zeus changed her tears into dainty, sweet smelling violets only she was permitted to eat.

Roman myth tells a different story, one of lovely maids of antiquity who became the victims of Venus' wrath when Cupid judged them more beautiful than her. In jealous fury, Venus beat the maidens until they became blue, and thus turned into violets.