I grew up in the Annapolis Valley.  From an early age, I became interested in technology, computers, and all forms of media.  I was that nerdy kid down the street who played with science and electronic kits; I took apart and rebuilt old calculators, radios, and any other technology I could put my hands on.  Bear in mind, this was a long time ago; most tech was analog.

When I was in my teens, personal computers became popular.  My friends were experimenting with their Commodore 64’s and Vic 20’s; my parents, who were utterly technophobic, bought me a Coleco ADAM computer for Christmas when I was 15.  Remember those?  Yeah, neither does anyone else.  Suffice it to say I learned a fair bit about computers just trying to find things that would work with mine.  Throughout high school I became involved in things like the yearbook, photo club, and video production.  Still the proud nerd.

I went off to university to study physics, but then took a couple of years off to work.  I spent time as a reporter for a couple of local Valley newspapers, where I was baptized by fire into photography, developing, layout, and design.  I worked for a business commission creating newsletters and promotional materials.  I worked for the county recreation department photographing the area and creating slideshows.  I dabbled in shooting wedding photos and videos.

I eventually went back to school and became a teacher.  My first classroom, in the mid 1990s, was a trade school computer lab.  I transitioned to teaching high school and spent a 20+ year career teaching a variety of courses, especially science and math.  However, there were always the technology and media components.  I taught courses on evaluating and producing videos.  I taught photography and darkroom skills.  As time passed and technology evolved, I had to change with it.  My courses began to include photo and video editing, animation, digital graphic design, web design, and more.  I spent much of my time studying and learning along with my students.

Health issues led to early retirement, but I was not ready to stop working for good.  My love for both cutting edge and vintage technology eventually led me to combine the two.  I realized I had skills I could share, skills that would allow me to help people recover and preserve treasured elements of their past using techniques from the present.  I started converting VHS tapes to digital format or DVD.  I added the capacity to convert other forms of video tape.  Then I added the capacity for audio tapes.  Then photos, slides, and negatives.  Then film reels.  Whenever someone asked me if I could do something, my answer would be either, yes, not yet, or I’ll figure it out.  As demand for new services increases, so does the list of services I offer.  Alongside the media component, I also have the resources to design and host websites for small businesses and community organizations.

All of these things allow me to use my problem solving skills, much like that nerdy little kid who took apart his father’s calculators.  Marc Anthony is credited as saying, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”  By that reasoning, I don’t have a job.  I have a hobby that pays for itself.