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Tom's Little Slice of the Ocean
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A Little About Me!
I live in the Upstate of South Carolina, and there are a ton of things I like to do. I listen to a really good jazz station out of San Diego using the Internet to pick it up (Smooth Jazz 98.1 KiFM, I've included the link below!) I love to listen all the time, I just wish there was something local I could pick up at work. (The type of work I do? I am a Health Care professional, if you want more, you'll have to ask me up front!) My favorite jazz CDs are the Yellowjackets, Dave Koz, Jeff Loerber, David Sanborn, Jonathan Butler, Liz Story, Candy Dulfer, Kim White; you can just about name any funky, jazzy performer, I like them all! Although I listen to a lot of jazz, I really like alternative and R&B, too, in fact, the CD player has Blink 182, Cheryl Crow, and Al Greene all three in it now! I like to cook, my preference goes toward European cuisine, but I also enjoy Southwestern American and Mexican as well. I spend some time working out on a daily basis, even if it is just to spend a little time working my arms. I love to run, and cycling has always been a part of my life. And, of course, there are the aquaria...
I have three wonderful children! Justin, my oldest son, is 21 and is finishing a degree in Computer Engineering at USC. Lindsay, my daughter, is 18 and is a senior in high school, and she is going to pharmacy school this fall. Connor, my youngest son, is 12 and is getting into playing the drums and Nintendo. He hasn't even begun to think about a career (thank goodness!).
Do I smoke? No, although in the past I have been known on special occasions to smoke a really good cigar (outside during the summer, if ever). I tolerate smokers, but I would never consider cigarette smoking as a pastime. I love a good Chardonnay, or Merlot, or Australian Shiraz, and a really good margarita makes a good end to a long work day! Although I like these things, I am a big believer in responsible drinking, and quite frankly, I am a lightweight; three glasses of wine and it is time for me to go home (if I am not already there or check into a hotel if I'm away)! I just met a really special woman within the last few months, she has been very strong for me when I needed someone strong (the accident and recovery, read about it below), and she is a REAL cutie!!! For now, I am just going to take time to get better (from the accident) AND GET STRONG AGAIN, and take things as they come.
I love to drive, and I enjoy driving events of skill (not necessarily speed!) I am a member of the BMW Car Club of America and the Sandlapper chapter of BMW CCA, and although the accident has totaled the 325i, I will be getting another soon! (see below, it wasn't EVEN my fault!) Most of this sums up briefly things about me, I spend a little time on-line every day, and I try to spread a little of the humor that I find there and in life in general amongst all my friends. I hope to see you on-line soon!
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There Goes the Bimmer...
As much as I enjoyed and liked the bimmer, it is no more. I was involved in an accident Nov 2, in which it broke several ribs, broke several bones in my right foot and leg, cut me up like a New York street gang (I lost a LOT of blood, still working on getting my hemoglobin up), screwed up my good shoulder, and gave me a severe concussion. I spent a lot of time in the hospital, and I have no recollection of the accident itself from about 30 seconds before the accident until they were taking me out of the Intensive Care Unit, not even dreams! From what everyone has told me (witnesses, etc.) there was a 18 wheeler that had pulled off the road behind a construction sign after he had hit a fallen tree. He had mired up to the axles, and a wrecker had come to pull him out just as the sun began to set. For some reason, the truck needed to be backed out into the roadway before the wrecker could tow him, so what did they do? backed it out in the dark into oncoming traffic! Of course, I was the first one to come along ... unfortunately the bimmer was totaled, but thank God it did the way it did, it probably saved my life! I am much better now, I can occasionally sneeze without thinking that I've re-broken my ribs, and I am starting to not feel so tired all the time ( I am taking a ton of iron) and I can get around some on the temporary cast (the foot swells a lot still, but it is getting better!) My last visit to the orthopedic podiatrist had him giving me a new temporary cast for the right foot, it is much easier to use than the old boot. It is customized to fit my foot, and can be removed for showers and to sleep (those are the only times so far that I have taken it off.) I don't think that I will be buying a manual transmission car for a while...
I am back at work about 6 hours a day (My orthopedist won't allow any more than that) The only bad thing so far is that I will probably not be able to run after all this is said and done, the foot specialist says to think of some other aerobic sport that will be less stressful on the bone tissue in my foot. Bummer...
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Other Stuff
The other things in my life are the marine aquaria! Without going into a lot of detail, they are my own little slices of the ocean, which I love to see, explore, and enjoy as much as I can. I also keep a freshwater tank (Felix the catfish is a 8 year old Pleocostemus, he is 19 inches long!), but most of my enjoyment comes from the Reefs! It is a microcosm of the fore reefs found in the South Pacific, and I can only tell you that they are magical and beautiful, almost mesmerizing at times!
I enjoy cruising the net some, although I don't spend a lot of time doing it, I do when I need info or to chat with friends or do my e-mail. I also enjoy old movies (I'm a big Bogart fan, "The Maltese Falcon", "The Big Chill", "The Amazon Queen", and of course, "Casa Blanca" are some of my favorites, but I really like most of the good ones.) One of my favorite things to do is invite friends over, fix a good meal, open a bottle of wine, and play a good film for the evening!
Since the accident has taken a lot out of me, my goal for the coming year is to get well, to heal up, and work on getting back to work and working out, then to get strong and fit again. I will be attending MACNA in Ft. Lauderdale this year (Marine Aquarium Conference of North America) and I would like to do the Cooper River Bridge run in Charleston next spring, even if I have to walk it the entire way. I love Charleston, and I would consider moving there, but I don't want to leave my children. Besides, I am getting to like the Upstate!
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My Favorite Links
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