WHAT IS YOUR OCCUPATION? I have been asking myself that question for the past 33 years. I am an Industrial Hygienist (IH) by profession. I work for Big Oil.  IH’s are an elite group of practical Health and Safety professionals who quietly clear the path for people who don’t pay attention to where they are going.  If members of the Mafia and Organized Religion had children, they would all be Industrial Hygienists. We are feared, hated, and respected all at the same time. I love my job.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY. That would be a big mistake. I have spent too many years keeping all of those skeletons safely inside my emotional closet.  In other words, my family is just as dysfunctional as your family.

WHAT HAVE YOU DONE IN THE YEARS SINCE HIGH SCHOOL?  I have spent a lot of time asking myself questions like; "Why me?". I have done a lot of stuff since High School. Some it has been interesting, most of it pretty mundane. My big gamble in life was to strike it rich in a gold mining venture with my two cousins in Mexico. It is easier to make money smuggling drugs.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL MEMORIES?  I transferred into Colonia Senior High at the start of my Junior year after a life of parochial school.

I remember my Junior Year English class. Mr. Chickines (sp?) was our instructor.  He used to straighten each bend in the power cord to the overhead projector before he would plug it into the outlet. Dawn Mattola was in that class and she sat behind me. She was the first person that I met at CHS.

I will always remember participating in the first Earth Day. Mr. Patten was our Sociology teacher. We drove down to Woodbridge and pointed to the Hess Refinery as if to identify the cause of pollution.  Little did I know…

I remember attending an assembly one day and that a former student, Mark McInerny, visited our school along with his recruiting officer after he joined the Army. Mark was encouraging us to join the army. That was all I needed to make that decision.

Who wasn’t worried about getting drafted into the military? Fortunately the Selective Service adopted the lottery system in 1970. My number was 221.

Everyone remembers Vice-Principal Mr. Williams morning announcements over the PA system: “Will the students who drive the automobiles with the following license plate numbers report to the Principal’s Office immediately”

The thing that I really remember the most about High School was playing hooky to drive down the shore and going to the Galaxy Diner. Like, who doesn’t enjoy taking a day off or going out to eat?

A Poem-

There once was a guy from Colonia

Who thought life was just a bunch of bologna

Until one day he setout on his own

And learned what its like to be alone

So that today his search is for harmonia