From Tolkien to Teaching: What was the connection?
Sketch of Gollum
So... the question I asked myself was;
"How do you tell the world how your life was changed through one... yes one chance encounter"
No, I'm not talking about some nauseating Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan encounter, but a real life, "No... really?" experience.
This is how it happened.
Back in the dark ages, as we were all recovering from Saturday Night Fever and were slipping around on Grease, I left school after achieving School Certificate engineering with 50%, headed for the overnight train from Auckland to Wellington. I think I was about 16 years old.
I took the ferry to the South Island and arrived in the town of Nelson with $10 and not much sense.Girls interested me occasionally, however no car and no money equalled loser, even in those days so I had a bit of time on my hands. I just happened to moan one time too many about being bored in front of my brothers girlfriend. She answered the call of duty (She was after all a newly trained teacher), tossed me a copy of the Hobbit and suggested I give it a try. Even my pleas of "I don't read books" could convinced her, and my brothers evil "don't upset my girlfriend" look settled it. I had to have a look at this unusual artefact.
"How do you tell the world how your life was changed through one... yes one chance encounter"
No, I'm not talking about some nauseating Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan encounter, but a real life, "No... really?" experience.
This is how it happened.
Back in the dark ages, as we were all recovering from Saturday Night Fever and were slipping around on Grease, I left school after achieving School Certificate engineering with 50%, headed for the overnight train from Auckland to Wellington. I think I was about 16 years old.
I took the ferry to the South Island and arrived in the town of Nelson with $10 and not much sense.Girls interested me occasionally, however no car and no money equalled loser, even in those days so I had a bit of time on my hands. I just happened to moan one time too many about being bored in front of my brothers girlfriend. She answered the call of duty (She was after all a newly trained teacher), tossed me a copy of the Hobbit and suggested I give it a try. Even my pleas of "I don't read books" could convinced her, and my brothers evil "don't upset my girlfriend" look settled it. I had to have a look at this unusual artefact.
Sketch of J.R.R.Tolkien
I was fine till I got to the scene where Bilbo sobbed for he was a kindly soul after Thorins death. I had to read the book again. Then again and I'm sorry to say a few more times over and over. I was hooked. Then just before I left beautiful Nelson, somebody told me there was a sequel.
It took me over three years and numerous tries to finally finish The Lord of the Rings. By then, I had been engaged, split up and was amazingly enough back to the city that spawned me, Auckland. My next girlfriend and current wife put up with my obsession with collecting all things Tolkien and quietly stood by as I amassed my trove. As it turned out, the collection I amassed was in demand by a special effects maestro who has a shed in Wellington full of Wetas!
He borrowed a couple of tea chests of flotsam and jetsam and during a dinner at a wonderful turkish resturant he suggested I try a bit of extras work, so I said "Sure Richard' and that led to a couple of Xena and Hercules visits.
Now that was fun!
In case you are wondering the episodes on Xena were "A Solstace Carol" and "When in Rome" and Hercules was "My fair cupcake". I also appeared in an episode of a local soap called Shortland Street.
During this fun time, I had a lovely wife, cute little son and was starting to expand my reading tastes.
It took me over three years and numerous tries to finally finish The Lord of the Rings. By then, I had been engaged, split up and was amazingly enough back to the city that spawned me, Auckland. My next girlfriend and current wife put up with my obsession with collecting all things Tolkien and quietly stood by as I amassed my trove. As it turned out, the collection I amassed was in demand by a special effects maestro who has a shed in Wellington full of Wetas!
He borrowed a couple of tea chests of flotsam and jetsam and during a dinner at a wonderful turkish resturant he suggested I try a bit of extras work, so I said "Sure Richard' and that led to a couple of Xena and Hercules visits.
Now that was fun!
In case you are wondering the episodes on Xena were "A Solstace Carol" and "When in Rome" and Hercules was "My fair cupcake". I also appeared in an episode of a local soap called Shortland Street.
During this fun time, I had a lovely wife, cute little son and was starting to expand my reading tastes.
Sketch of a Nazgul
It was at this time that I decided to apply for teachers college due to someone joking about it during another fantastic morning at our local playcentre. All that reading must have paid off, as I was accepted and three years later had a funny little flat, black hat on my head and a roll of parchment in my hand that stated I was a teacher.I had a great time at A.C.E. During the time at college, I performed with bands and even secured the lead in a play called Androcles and the Lion with the Onewhero Drama Group. The play involved singing and a dance routine, not something I do too often these days. Why did I do it, it had a song called "When in Rome". If that's not fate, what is.
These days I am still teaching and trying different things.
The most recent hobbies include dry stone walling, making traditional Roman mosaics,stone carving with Hinuera Stone in Matamata (aka Hobbiton) and in May 2011 started an acrylics class painting from photographs. As you can see by the sketches in this website, I am begining to enjoy sketching as well. My latest sketches have been a bit larger on A3 and I am really starting to enjoy this hobby. (See Below)
These days I am still teaching and trying different things.
The most recent hobbies include dry stone walling, making traditional Roman mosaics,stone carving with Hinuera Stone in Matamata (aka Hobbiton) and in May 2011 started an acrylics class painting from photographs. As you can see by the sketches in this website, I am begining to enjoy sketching as well. My latest sketches have been a bit larger on A3 and I am really starting to enjoy this hobby. (See Below)
