Date: Sat 26 Mar 88 00:13:04    From: John Shklov (on 1:12/14)

For some reason I have been both fascinated and aghast at the prospect of 
putting my bio up for all to see...there is something quite safe about being 
an unknown quantity...so, when I resist an action so very strongly I usually 
force myself to do it...here's some information about this "ugly bag of mostly 
water" (to quote Gene Rodenberry)..... 

Born September 11, 1942 at Newfoundland ,Canada....moved to B.C. at an early 
age lived until 11 years old in that westernmost province until I moved to 
Hawaii.....Jewish father, gentile mother , which always made me feel most 
keenly like an interloper no matter which group I associated with at the time.  
In reality, I consider that "interloper" feeling one of my greatest strengths.  
I was exposed at an early age to Christianity by my maternal grandfather who 
was the best friend of my youth.  Nevertheless,I could never swallow the 
concept of "surrender" so central to Christian thinking, and I still cannot 
buy into any organized religion that postulates surrender to the supreme being 
as a basic precept.  Quite obviously, anyone who resists authority as strongly 
as I do gets a bloody bashing from time to time and I have had my share. 

I studied art, humanities, and science and mathematics at the University of 
Hawaii...acquired an undergraduate degree in art (drawing and painting) and a 
masters degree in Education....I worked for a few years in historical 
interpretation (museum planning) and later worked as a communicator for 
various government agencies both federal and state.  Made films and videos and 
did publication design on a free lance basis for a few years...moved to the 
"country"--Kauai about 8 years ago and I have taught school (all grades) here 
since I moved to this beautiful place.  Since coming over here I have done 
serious and "successful" (purchased) artwork also until a few years back when 
I discovered computers.  Most of my creative energies in the past two years 
have gone into my computer activities. 

Although I avoided the Vietman war (enlisted in USCGR two days before my draft 
notice hit the mailbox) I eventually got to see southeast asia as a contract 
employee for the Feds (hill tribe literacy projects in the Golden triangle) 
and did videotapes of Korean factories for A.I.D. long before Hyndai was on 
the scene. 

I practiced "magick" for years before I had any idea what I was doing.  I made 
up my own rituals and visualizations based on what I wanted to do with the 
events of my life or my need for survival....studied various world religions 
and incorporated attractive aspects in my own personal thinking. I am still 
repelled by the organizational "glue" man uses to hold together even the most 
transcendental of thought.  Even gentle Buddhism gets corrupted by the human 
need to establish some kind of heirarchial pecking order. When I discovered 
the magic echo it was a great feeling to find that there was an electronic 
community that I could participate in as an individual amongst a group of 
individuals.  Please don't label me...I'm not a witch or a neopagan or a 
xtian....closest description is an interloper, a temporary and loosely 
organized collection of molecules in an endless chaotic sea of 
molecules.............. 

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 * Origin: Kauai2 - Aloha (Opus 1:12/14)