AMA #28 - GoKartMozart

Fair Warning: I am the opposite of Fernley and probably the world's least interesting man. This might be the most boring AMA in the history of AMAs.

I was born in Bristol, Tennessee and most of my family are Vols fans. Luckily, my great aunt and uncle showed me the greatness that is Blacksburg and VT. My great uncle got his Bachelors and PhD from VT in Dairy Science, and taught there for umpteen years and eventually became the department head. I knew I wanted to go to Virginia Tech since I was 5. My first Kindergarten photo is in a Virginia Tech rugby shirt. My maternal grandparents are from Radford, so the NRV was always a second home to me.

I got to Tech in 2003 (early decision, no doubts) and started as a Materials Science engineer because metallurgy was interesting, especially in percussion instrument application. Math is not my strong suit and I knew that going in, so the whole engineering thing was an attempt to either get through it and successfully obtain a diploma somehow, or flame out. I decided to switch to Geography and Geospatial Analysis before I completely tanked my GPA.

I haven't quit playing and learning percussion since I picked it up seriously in 5th grade. Before that, I could hack out a beat since I was probably 2 or 3, when my uncle taught me to play "Rocky Top". Drumming has been the one constant my entire life. In high school I played in all of the bands (marching, concert, pep, jazz, percussion ensemble). I played snare all 4 years in marching band, and was the 9th ranked percussionist in Tennessee my junior year. When I moved to Florida, I joined the Central Florida Community Arts orchestra and eventually became the principal percussionist, and helped grow that group from 22 people into a 160 member orchestra and big band. These days I play in a dad-punk/power pop band called NeptuneFlyer. We sound like a mix of The Posies, Sugar, and Teenage Fanclub with heavy tinges of Blink 182 and The Offspring mixed in. We're currently on live show paternity leave while our front man adjusts to having two kids. But we're laying the groundwork for a full length. It's so much fun, especially now that I've picked up recording, engineering, and mixing drums as a new hobby.

While in college all of my extra-curriculars revolved around music. I was a DJ at WUVT, and the AM (training station) Program Director. I also worked at my uncle's music store in Radford. I learned a lot about sales, running a business, and customer service skills. Every summer I taught drumlines. I did 2 years at my alma mater, Tennessee High School, and 2 years at Radford High School, my grandparents' alma mater. That's where I met my future wife, who was teaching the color guard. She's a Hokie, too. The whole thing started out as me wanting to carpool to Radford because I was getting tired of using so much gas going to two jobs in Radford. Before classes even started we were already in a relationship and her class schedule didn't allow for her to have time to go get her car, pick me up, and get to Radford in time. So I drove every single time. It all worked out in my favor anyway.

I graduated in December 2007 and soon after started my career as a GIS professional. In 2011, my wife and I got married and moved to Florida when I got a job with a small bedroom community outside Orlando. Spent four years there until my wife got tired of it and I got a job outside of Charlotte as a GIS Manager for a mid size city.

In 2015 we had our first and only child. I tell people I have one daughter and that's 3 too many.

We have a 10 year old Boston Terrier named Jibby and a 2 year old pit mix rescue named Allis. They keep my blood pressure down.

I like tasting new and exotic foods, and drinking anything that's brewed or distilled, especially bourbon.

I think my best attribute is that I have an appreciation for just about anything, even if I don't find it interesting or it isn't my cup of tea.