Jonathon

Taking a Picture of Taking a Picture of Myself.This is not a bio.

I was born in Warsaw, Indiana, but I consider Raytown, Missouri, to be my hometown. I’ve lived here for 19 years now.

I graduated from the University of Missouri—Kansas City in 2003 with a degree in secondary education and an emphasis in history.

I taught for six years at Hilltop School, a Jackson County Family Court residential treatment facility for juveniles. I taught English, science, civics and life skills. In May, I graduated from Baker University with a Master of Arts in School Leadership. Now I’m looking for a job in administration.

I really love my wife.

I met Katy on a discussion list for the record label Velvet Blue Music while she still lived in Dayton, Ohio. Through some crazy circumstances we ended up meeting in person a couple of times. We kept in touch and eventually found ourselves dating long-distance for 16 months. I didn’t have a cell phone, but airline rates were cheap then.

I’m pretty sure I’m undeserving of her love. She never gets mad when I forget to readjust the seat in her car after I’ve driven it, she likes to hold my hand as we walk through the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, she allows me to fill the basement with musical instruments, she puts up with me when I’m anti-social and she bought me a sweet Genesis boxset.

I like music. A lot.

I have found something to like in every genre of music. Seriously. But I’m not the guy who’ll respond, “All kinds,” when asked, “What kinda music d’ya like?” How can I communicate that my album collection does not reflect the spectrum of choices found on the radio?

I also make music. I have some bands, My Science Fiction Twin (with Paul Keleher and Adam Sidor), The Divine Appointments (with Joel Atkinson) and The Cosmonautopolitans (with my step-brother Dan Webster). I also make solo music that kinda blurs the lines between all of these projects. I don’t expect that to make sense to everyone else; it makes sense in my head.