I grew up in the Highlands, the oldest of four kids. I went to the Brown School and Atherton. My brother and I spent most of our childhoods cutting grass, riding bikes, buying baseball cards, and doing impressions of family members and other people we met.
I’ve always enjoyed learning and reading. Couple this with an aversion to office work and I decided to stay in school as long as possible. After college, I spent a few years working in a bookstore before somehow working my way into Johns Hopkins University.
Over several years of grad school on my way to a Ph.D. in anthropology, I got married, we had our first kid, we lived in five different cities, and we bought and fixed up two houses.
This last part is not something we set out to do. But when you buy a small, 90 year old rowhouse in Baltimore, you have a kid on the way, and you’d like to live with modern amenities like a functioning shower, you learn a thing or two.
Also, this was our first experience with the Disney World for adults better known as IKEA. Hey, we figured out how to put together a BILLY bookcase. How hard could it be to remodel a kitchen? Pretty hard it turns out. As were several other projects that only the foolhardiness of youth compelled us to take on.
So, without really meaning to, I built up a basic but pretty useful set of skills in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and landscaping. Still, though, I was going to be an anthropologist and home repair was something I did out of necessity or to indulge my creative side.
In 2009, I actually got a job as an anthropologist at Spalding University in downtown Louisville. However, owning an old home and raising two kids on the income of an anthropologist leaves you in a tight spot. Either you ignore things that break (not always possible) or, since hiring someone is a significant financial challenge, you figure out how to fix them yourself.
While Spalding University is a fine institution that does a lot of good, it also demands that faculty do a nearly inhuman amount of teaching. After 15 years, over 120 classes, the advent of online teaching (blah), and a global pandemic, my brain, body, and psyche couldn’t take it any more. Also, I recently got slapped in the face by the reality that life is short. It was time to do something I genuinely enjoyed and felt good about doing.
After prolonged reflection, I realized that home improvement projects have been one of the few constants in my life and that, despite the frustrations and failures that often happened along the way, it’s something I genuinely enjoy. I also love meeting new people and I look forward to helping folks when they’re in need.
So, I couldn’t be happier to be where I am. I love what I do. I take pride in being friendly, reliable, and dependable. And I can’t wait to help with your home repair and improvement needs.