I've gotten several requests to rewrite my homepage, as it has been loading improperly on some machines. I wouldn't want to be accused of suggesting anything as radical as upgrading your hardware and/or software, so while I am in the process of writing and debugging my sites, I have put together this series of pages to be used in the interim. Now you won't find anything fancy-schmancy about any of these pages, just plain old HTML TEXT (gasp!) with links to various graphics files. Not that the other one was any great shakes, but at least when it worked it had some neat-o stuff on it.
That said, here goes. Enjoy, and please let me know if there are any broken links. I've given myself about an hour to get this done, so I might miss something, unlikely as that may seem.
Oh yeah. One last note: The Lair of Caerbannog will remain intact for now. If you click on that link, be prepared for moving stuff and sound stuff and just plain old pandemonium. If you are lucky, you might just spot the 10,000 Peruvian Llamas.
I am a computer programmer, living and working in the Allentown, PA, area. I work for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., an international Industrial Gas and Chemicals firm. I'm about to begin my eighth year with the company. Currently, I am in the Gases and Equipment Group, Manufacturing Design Engineering. My main duties are to program productivity aids in MDL (Benley Systems' MicroStation Development Language), provide programming support to about 50 Engineers and Designers, provide software and hardware support for the same, and to support Compass Contract, our MRPII system from Western Data Systems.
I graduated Cum Laude in December of 1990 from Millersville University of Pennsylvania, where I majored in Computer Science (duh). It should have been Summa Cum Laude, but I screwed around in my first two years of school at West Chester Univ. I am also a founding Brother of the Beta Chi Phi Chapter of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho.
A quick note about college: I am of the rather unpopular opinion that graduating seniors should be required to spend two years doing the most menial, underpaid work there is or to volunteer for AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity, or the Peace Corps and work their butts off to improve conditions for the less fortunate. Then, when they are used to working AT LEAST 40 hours per week, go back to college and put 40 hours per week into classes, studying, and improving their minds, rather than engaging in the mindless hedonism practiced by most of the Freshmen, second-year Freshmen, Sophomores and second-year Sophomores today. College should be fun WHILE it prepares you for your career. While I was back in school I heard so much whining and crying and weeping about a mere 15 hour-per-week classload with less than an hour's work per day afterward that I wanted to slap some sense into someone. It seems that the best way to make a person appreciate what they have is to completely deprive them of it (that's how I learned). It's too bad that I had to put my family through such rough times while I learned. I thank them for their support and help and understanding. Wow. Was that heavy or is it just me? heehee
Well, there's a whole plethora of hobbies that I enjoy, with the little time that I have. Most recently, I've taken up PBM Games (see below), but some of my other interests include homebrewing, woodworking, fine-and-not-so-fine art, homebrewing, music of all styles (C&W not so much), movies, homebrewing, photography, computer games, writing, all things Celtic, genealogy, most things scientific, and Freemasonry. This merely scratches the surface of my interests, but it's all I can think of right now. Did I mention homebrewing?
I should add that I also have the best dog in the world. He's a 5 year old, formerly abused but now rescued, Border Collie named (which proves that God is a just God and has one heck of a sense of humor) Dallas. Isn't he cute? Go ahead - take a look. He's the greatest. My thanks to Reed and Stacey Harris for their patience and efforts in rescuing and caring for such a basketcase for two years prior to placing him with me.
I have just served as Worshipful Master for my Lodge (that would be Lehigh Lodge, #326, F&AM, Trexlertown, Pennsylvania) for the Masonic year of A.D. 1997, A. L. 5997. There are two initials after my name, of which I am most proud. They are "JR". I inherited them and cherish them as much as I love the man after whom I am named and the woman who carried me. I have earned the right to add two more initials - "P.M." - and I wear them with honor and much pride because I worked hard for them.
I'd like to take the time to mention that I have several relatives (that I know about) who are also Freemasons. John R. Kendig, Jr., my Grandfather, whom I still love and respect, even though he has left us; John R. Kendig, III, his son and my Uncle Jack; Cousin Katie's husband Jarvis Eldred, who I just found out was a Brother; and August M. Hossman, my Aunt Marie's late husband. Although I never knew Uncle Augie very well as an adult, I do know his dear, sweet widow, my (great) aunt Marie. She's my Grandfather Shay's sister. I am quite sure there are others that I don't remember or that I never knew were Masons, so let me know if you know of anyone.
