Joseph Smiley:  

Life Well lets see...It has been a difficult year for most and I wish you nothing but the very best in joy and heartfelt peace. I moved back to the big city of Cedar Rapids Iowa when I left Solon Iowa in 1973 I was 13 yrs old. Tough time for me as anyone that age but had to leave my lake and my boat. Lasted a year at Franklin Jr High then moved to Arlington Vermont 1974...then I moved to the Virgin Islands for high school in 1975. My family was in the designer clothing business. I went into the Navy in 1979; spent 4 years; got several decorations; then tried several types of jobs like property management, hotel management, motel management, restaurant management, and retail sales. I ended up working for a Jet-set night club in 1985 in the carribean named Jimmy'z (a Regines) getting to wear a tux everyday as a manager and was a body guard for a supermodel for a year or so. I was crew on a 64 ft sailboat during the day and nightclub at night. Lots of movie stars. It was fun. Lear jets and yachets. I did lots of things. I worked for a fortune 500 company for about 10 years and held the record for Citibank for 4 years for the entire country and then I retired around 32 years old with a small 10 acre vineyard. My only wife who is now EX had troubles and ended selling the vineyard, divorcing and moved to new england around 1994 to be closer to my elderly mother. I became a poet and an artist; and am currently retired at 49 with a small pension. Needless to say I have had a large amount of injuries along the way. I had my first art show in July 2006 and sold 4 paintings. I have about 100 paintings and 300 poems. I won a bunch of awards for my poetry but just mostly notoriety. I have currently left new england and am undecided where I want to live but am trying out different places around the US. (as of 10\09 I am out west still traveling) I intend on traveling the next few years by covered wagon and happy to schedule in old friends along the way no matter what state you live in if you want to see my smiling face, just let me know. I have been a coin/book/antique dealer part-time for the past 15 years. My expertise is probably coins the most. As for me I like a quiet life but love the treasure hunt, I am big on research. I have traveled most of my life having been to every state in the United States and lived in europe for two years. My family owns a house in Europe. I intend on hitting all the national parks and all the major sites again this next year of 2010 but have settled-in for the winter till next summer. I have had more drama than would fill a thousand life times and am looking for roots somewhere quiet where I can fish and chase my wife around the house. (oh yeah I have to find a new wife) I have no children that I know of but have always wanted children. (I was offered a nanny job within the last couple of years, it was tempting) My hopes are to oneday combine my poetry with my art to make some children books, inbetween fishing and chasing my wife. (*turns head right to left) I have to admit I am more of a conservative these days than a liberal. I am on a new adventure and am excited to see where life will lead me. Always happy to touch base with old friends I was never very good at staying in touch so 30 odd years later this is my attemp...Expand for more