“The best portion of a good man's life: His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love.”
– William Wadsworth

Here's my personal life. "The Phil behind the fire..."
Thanks for being interested!




Birthplace
Where I Live
Marriage and Family
Parents
Music
Animals
Racing
Running
Bikes
Roots
Diving
Airplanes
Computers
Travel
Tae-Kwan-Do
Diet

BioDiesel
E-mail me



My Mom (Irene) is from a town called Mt. Airy, North Carolina - the town after which The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. were patterned. It's still like that to this day. No one even locks their doors. A handshake and a person's word mean something. The consequences of going back on your word are dire - you are no longer believed or trusted. Pretty hefty when all 112 people in town know you. She continued to Nurse's Training and met my Dad in College.

My Dad (Harold) is from Haddonfield, New Jersey (the town from which Danny DeVito comes). "Hal" played Football and Baseball, almost making it to the Big Leagues. After an ankle injury ended all Professional possibilities, he attended College and met my Mom. They were married 6/22/57, and had 4 children: Paul, (me), Jonathan, and Cheerilyn.

I was born in Georgetown, Maryland (a suburb of Washington, D.C., USA). My family moved to El Paso, Texas when I was age 2. I remember as far back as age 3. After a couple of years, we moved to Danbury, Connecticut, where I spent my early formative years swimming in Candlewood Lake (now a toxic waste dump), and developing an interest in bugs and animals (later - majoring in Biology!), and of course - motorcycles! Here's me [left] at age 15 on my Indian 70cc** 2-stroke. Oh, how I wish I still had that!

At age 9, we moved to Roanoke, Virginia. Dad got that great Banking job there, and we lived in a really neat house on a hill with a creek just below (now full of oil and barely creeping). I remember going to my Grandparents' home in Front Royal and helping feed the Chickens. I remember the rides in the 1946 truck - which the family still has! Green Acres? You bet! And I would strongly recomment it to anyone.

After 5 years, my Father's job took him to West Palm Beach, Florida, where I attended John I. Leonard High School, and began playing in the Marching Band. I became known as the "Super Silver Sax" since I could only afford a 1914 Silver Conn sax, but I taught myself how to play it, and presto - my career was started.

After majoring in Biology at Palm Beach Junior College, I just couldn't stay away from playing music. It was through this playing that I met my Girlfriend, Manon - with whom I am now married. We now reside (since 2004) in Alberta, Canada - after living in Concord, California for 17 years.

** This sparked my interest in the metric system, for which I am a huge advocate to this day. See my metric page!

 

See my Roots and the Chapman Family Tree

Marriage and Family


Our wedding

Manon

After our move to Canada in 2004

 

Married in 1989 to Manon Anna Bedard. She is Canadian (born in the same City as Celine Dion) and has a child (Shauna) from her first marriage. We were married on a meadow overlooking a cliff in Bodega Bay, California. As you may notice from my Sax strap (I forgot to remove it for the photo), I played and sang for my own wedding. (Hey, I wanted to sing to my wife-to-be!)

Camping across the United States on our way to California in 1987 proved to be a memorable experience. Among the campsites was the Grand Canyon.

Living in Concord, CA for 17 years, I continued caroling with friends during the holiday season, and all year long help my fellow man ... as well as animals.

 

 

 I've enjoyed travelling around the Globe, but there's no place like home <tap, tap>:


(Can you find the pushpin where we live?)

Canada spans 5 time zones (5,514 km; 3,426 miles), and is 1.5 times higher than the USA height. (Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world).

Moving from Concord, CA (in the San Francisco area) in April 2004, to Alberta, Canada. We found "the American dream" - in Canada.

Cose to the "wild", yet close to culture, we can sunbathe inside the West Edmonton Mall (when it's -40 outside), or ski outside on the same day.

 

 

A common scene for us is the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Here's a photo, but they appear in all colors, sizes, and stay for various times.

Here's a photo of a Moose in our back yard:

My wife took this photo last Summer - biking in Jasper, Alberta (near Banff).



moon info

I continue to bike, and I have taken-up ice skating, cross-country skiing (in our back yard!) and tandem biking - but I have given up running & the Black-Belt (Tae-Kwan-Do & Kung-Fu) ... however, I have not given up the lessons learned.

NOTE: The 14 attacks I endured in the USA made the Martial arts courses worthwhile, yet I moved because - I think, in a "civilized" country, that one shouldn't have to put-up with attacks. (most of my attacks were while I was training for my bike races, but a couple were as I was loading-out DJ equipment. Most of my attackers were being racist to me, so I'm assuming they may have been jealous of my performance, or of all my wealth of equipment. I'll never know.)

 
 
 

Mom & Dad

First things first: Mom and Dad. We still phone each other at least twice each week. Dad's an Investment Broker after a 25-year carreer in Commercial Banking and Mom still paints paintings after all these years. she has published 2 books, "The Anatemy of Tragedy" and "Figs of Thistles". Her latest book, "Shenandoah" is about the Civil War. She still enjoys playing the Piano, too.
I attribute my "talents" to genetics and environment. My high energy (ok - ADHD) and friendliness inherited from my Dad, and my gentleness and love for "critters" (animals) inherited from my Mom (the Cherokee side). These are two of the best parents I think the planet generated, and I hope one day they will realize what their influence did for me. If only I could pay them back just a fraction of what they have always done for me.
Hey Mom, Dad - I'll call you later this week...

Music

Too much to tell in 50 words or less. See the Music Page.
 
My High School Band Marching in the Orange Bowl Parade in 1977

Racing


The "Devil Mountain Run"

These races are tiring - after performing music at events the night before ('til 2 AM). The races make me play better, though, and my playing inspires my racing.

My running career ended in 1999, when a badly sprained ankle necessitated a trip to the Emergency Room, and I found I was developing knee problems from running. Now, my Wife joins me in Tandem biking!


 
 
(Foot) Race Times:
Name
Time
Length
Place
%

Examiner Bay To Breakers

12k

1990

1:20:00

1991

1:15:00

1992

59:36:42

2,918

3.6

1993

56:38:59

3,488

4.3

1994

54:03:59

5,000

5

1995

55:36:38

979

1.1

1996

Injured

1997

1:03:15

2,226

2.97

1998

Did not run

1999 (my last time)

1:03.27

2000

Injured

Lake Merritt Joggers
45:49:82
10k
    

47:29:51

Run Across the Bay Bridge

45:54:55
10k

42:14:42

44:52:00

254

3.9

No longer held

Devil Mountain Run

48:11:27
10k

583

30.5
1993
44:38:62
      

 

Bicycle Riding/Racing

Training with Team Miami until my legs burned like fire made calories have more appeal. Riding up Mt. Diablo (1,173 meters [3,849 ft]) in just over an hour didn't qualify me for a T-shirt, but since my Cinelli has a 42-tooth chainring and a 21-tooth sprocket made a great excuse. Hey, it's a Campagnolo 50th anniversary groupo - like I'm going to modify it! I still have that bike parked neatly in our 4th bedroom (beside our tandem).
 
 
<--- After the "World Corporate Games", San Francisco
Yes, that's my Cinneli with Campagnolo groupo (50th Anniversary).
Less than 8kg [19 pounds] loaded (spare tire, full water bottle).
Offered $10,000 US for it in 1991, but I refused it.
 

As I mentioned above, my wife now joins me in Tandem riding.


We enjoy driving our classic ("early 1985") Porsche 944

Anaerobic Excercising:
I trained with free weights and machines from age Fifteen to age 36. Although I haven't engaged in "normal" training (Bench Press, Curls) since then, I now participate in skating, tandem biking, and hiking. Although I've always been able to "Bench" twice my body weight, I feel powerless when compared to animals.
Doing Crunches with a 25-pound weight on my chest or above my head, I've found, stimulates growth very evenly. When I was young, I thought I was "cool" doing "Rocky sit-ups" - only finding how much they damage the spine.
Speaking of spine - I did early damage when I trained in the morning ("thanks" to a book written by Arnold Schwartzenegger - and please don't buy the book!). I'd wake up at 7:00, go straight into the garage and squat 225-pounds. (Remember, Dad?) Well, later I found that a machine worked better for me. I could crank the weights up to 500 pounds and feel it in my LEGS - not in by BACK. Of course, we all know that it isn't REALLY 500 pounds. It doesn't matter - just as long as the LEGS are targeted, not the lower back (lumbar). Later in life, I was diagnosed with spinal degeneration - due to the weight "over-training". (THANKS, Arnold, you Jerk! You later admitted to taking steroids - after you lied about not having ever taken them!)
ANY way... instead of doing Pull-Downs, I did Pull-Ups, using my body as the weight. I brought the bar behind my head, almost touching my neck. I wore a belt that holds even more weight to add resistance. At my height, I was pulling up myself, and 40 pounds on my belt.
 
Funny - no matter how hard a Human trains, we don't compare to what a mere Animal can do. For instance, Michael Jordan is hailed because he can jump 4 feet from a standing start. Well, my Cat can jump 6 feet from a standing start, and it is less than two feet long. It humbles you, doesn't it? If one were to put a Human - with no technology - against an animal, the animal would tear up the Human, hands down. Makes you think, doesn't it?
 
Even regarding intelligence, animals really have us. People are quick to point out to me that animals are stupid compared to Humans. How many people are struck by cars or electricuted? More than animals, I'm afraid. On the other hand, how many animals commit suicide?

Diet

After visiting my friend, Rod Carlson, Pig Farm in Greely, Colorado, I can't stop thinking about those squeels and the blood and guts. Deeming it inconsistent/hypocritical to love animals, yet eat them, I became a vegatarian at age 29. At the height of my vegatarian diet (age 33), I made my personal best records in Biking and Running, as well as weighed in at my heaviest weight: 168 pounds. Light? Yes, but considering I have averaged weighing between 154 and 164 since High School, it was "beefy" for me.
Since it is next to impossible to be a strict Vegatarian at performances, I eat what is put before me to keep from "starving".
And no, I'm not thin because of my diet! It's hereditary.


 

Animals

Ever since I was a kid, I loved the outdoors and animals. I've rescued many animals, including a Bat, Goose (photo left), Sea Bird, Green Sea Turtles, Deer, and others. I was a regular at the Lindsay Museum in Walnut Creek, CA , where wild animals are rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

CC4C

(Community Concern for Cats)

Formerly a volunteer with the S.P.C.A., I volunteer with my wife, Manon, with CC4C in Concord, CA. We careed for, as well as adopted and fostered cats. It's a "No-kill" shelter - ALL pets become adopted. It's extremely rewarding!

For questions regarding fostering in San Francisco's East Bay area, call Linda Callaghan at (925) 686-6333, or stop by their local site. They really need you!

"Popeye & Bruno", here pictured minutes after birth. Popeye died in 2005; Bruno died in 2007 - at age 18.
"Rover" in 2002
"Baby" in 1995

There will forever be a place in my heart for all my pets:

  • Twinkles & Samantha (my cats at age 9)
  • Twittles (our dog that was killed by a car when I was 11) We were all in the back of a pick-up truck, and the driver [a neighbor] didn't stop when we told him our dog was chasing his truck. We saw him get hit and thrown!
  • My pet Bass (yes, a FISH!) that I caught with a net and kept in an aquarium. I finally set it free.
  • The rattlesnake that Paul & I found IN OUR APARTMENT and kept for a year. We set it free at over twice it's original size. I still have one of it's sheddings in a display case!
  • My bird (a Cockateil) - given to me as a holiday gift from my Sister. It was killed by a cat. It bled to death in minutes.
  • Mupsy (Jon's dog)
  • Pumpkin - a very small, young kitten that we found in the cold. S/he was dead the following morning in the cage we made for her.
  • Tori - a cat that we found at Marsh Creek Springs, took to the Vet, and rehabilitated. She had a very happy life for 3 years with us.

And I will never, EVER forget...


In March, 2007, I am heartbroken to report, that my favourite adopted cat, Mollie, died of anemia. We fought together to save her in the emergency clinic, and she died in my arms (with Doctors present) gasping for her last breath. I can't find the words to describe how I miss her! We were inseparable!

 

 
 

Computers

I started programming in BASIC on a TRS-80 (with it's "whopping" 4K RAM) in 1982 or so. The 16K color (woooow!) machines didn't take long to appear, but they used cartridges. When I got back from Europe, I had been out of touch with it for a while, so I didn't get back into it. Until the 128K Macintosh came out. I eventually bought a "Mac Plus" and expanded it to it's 4 MB capacity. My graphics career had started!
I now have 2 PC boxes (one running OS/2,Windows and NT and the other running Linux), as well as 7 Macintosh boxes. As a high-level spreadsheet "techie", I am very comfortable with formulas (in both R1C1 and A1 modes) and macros. It is common for me to teach Teachers things about spreadsheets.
I am equally a fan of all flavors of UNIX (Linux, IRIX [Silicon Graphics], Solaris [Sun]) and Macintosh [OS X]). I am not a fan or Windows, due to the incessant OS crashing, as well as the 100,000+ viruses. Many people bust my chops about "Get with the rest of the planet - use Windows!", and I simply reply: "I will when you get with the rest of the planet - and use the Metric System!"
My main strength, though, is Graphics and Information Technology ("IT"). I know Graphics programs in depth, and much of my work has been on CD covers, in newspapers, and on the web. Here's a list of the computer programs I know, as well as my resume. you may also view my work for other Companies.

Information Technology ("IT")

I upgraded my first computer by adding RAM. I am at home with all aspects of computer repair/upgrades - from hard drives and motherboards to dual-monitor systems and 10/100/1,000 base/T ethernet networks. My specialty is the anally-retentive task of making systems run lean and fast. 90% of people use 10% of a program's capability, yet 90% of people want "the update". I update only when necessary, and only run features that I'm using. Again, see my resume for more details.

As a fan of Unix, I pretty-much despise Windoze, or anything that crashes more than once per year.

 

Airplanes

After learning to fly with my (then) roomate and Flight Instructor Jim Montie - in a Cessna 172, I appreciated Bernoulli's Principle, P-Factor and practicing stalls at 1,000 ft. Since High School, I wanted to be involved in Aerospace Technology. Today, I study and support Electric vehicles and other Engineering that entails aerodynamics.

Diving

Diving off Puerto Rico was not a good idea after flying, but getting dangerously close to that Moray Eel made it worth it. Swimming with Dolphins and Manta Rays off the Florida's Keys was a great experience, but it couldn't top letting the Green Sea Turtles go that a friend and I raised and seeing them swim to freedom.

 

 

Traveling


Me in England with Pigeons.

And who could forget that train to East Berlin with Paul, my "Big Bro" - (then in the US Army)? The wall was taken down a couple of years later. We rented a BMW and drove all over the Autobahns* of Europe.
When my wife and I decided to relocate to California, we packed up and camped all across the United States. We'd just stop the car when we liked a spot, pitched the tent and made a fire. All the way to the Grand Canyon. "Little Sis" joined us for this trip. It was like a Birthday present to her. Now she lives in Texas with her Husband. They still camp out every Summer riding their motorcycles.
* (That's when I learned that there isn't ONE Autobahn - it means "Auto Way", and it's a network of freeways - just like here. Well, with much stricter laws! And there ARE speed limits on them near cities. Most of Europe has this same system, although in France, one MUST have yellow headlights - for better visibility while driving in foggy conditions. How's THAT for "Overseas 101" class. Now, there'll be a test on that tomorrow!)



Tae Kwon Do

I'll never forget the 6 [Racist] guys who attacked me while riding through "their" town*, I've never been that afraid in my life! I was able to escape with only a scar on my arm, which I still have. Training for Black Belt with my Asian friend was really tough - not to mention painful - but it saved my life.

 

* (calling me "Honkey" and many far worse racial slurs.


|| Home || e-Mail ||

 

 

Hosted on Unix

The following links are posted here to increase our position in search engines:

 

 

 

 

Bubble Shows WeDJ.com Changing LINKS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7