Meet John

I’m a native of Port Clinton and so a good part of my early life was spent in and around the water. Most any summer day, as I recall, I could be found stalking the elusive catfish or perch or whatever else would surrender to me. But those endless summer days of fishing ended about the time I turned fourteen. Then, a previously recessive gene asserted itself compelling me to trade my fishing gear for a cheap acoustic no-name guitar, painted candy apple metallic red. Believe me, it was a sight to behold!

During high school, the guitar and I became inseparable and after graduation I took my most prized possession — a Martin acoustic — with me when I attended Ohio University.

The music scene in Athens in the 1970s was vibrant and quickly drew me in. The following year I dropped out and began performing in local bars and restaurants. Making a living as a musician, however, wasn’t as easy as I imagined and after a couple of years of living below the poverty line, I decided to attend a trade school in hopes of getting a real job with a steady income.

Upon completing the program (in Vermont), I returned to Ohio and established my own home decorating business. Several years later I moved to California where I again started my own business and played guitar in local restaurants and other venues. Feeling that life was somehow incomplete without Mayflies and mosquitos, I rolled back to Ohio in the late 1980s, enrolled at BGSU, and graduated with a degree in Liberal Studies.

After graduation I worked in a number of teaching-related jobs and soon discovered how much I enjoyed helping people grow. I’ve worked as an instructor in adult education at both BGSU and the Whitmer Technical Training Center in Toledo. At BGSU I taught adult learners how to build their own computers and how to use them; at Whitmer I taught an adult math class for auto workers entering an apprenticeship program. I’ve also worked as a math tutor in an after-school program called Champions for Children in Port Clinton and have tutored junior high and high school students in math. I have an avid interest in Tai Chi and have taught classes in Bowling Green, Perrysburg, and Port Clinton.

Of all the miles traveled, places visited, and people met, my greatest joy is the blessing I’ve received of being able to combine my first love (guitar) with my strongest talent (teaching).

May we all shine on.