Hi Guy's,

Old Me now

OK, a few Tidbits from my journey

College: Was headed to BC (the only school I applied to) when the freshman dorm collapsed in July. My father (the only one I was given) refused to pay for college if I lived off-campus.

Being I was woefully unprepared to go it alone at the time, I drove my 62' beetle up to Worcester and got into Holy Cross. Four memorable but also hard -to- remember years. Graduated with a major in History/Pre-Law, and minor in girls, drugs, and rock& roll.

As the cloud of smoke from Franco's Newbury St apartment continued to dull my senses, I lost interest in the Law, and after college spent a few years traveling New England making enough to eat, drink, and keep a roof over my head entertaining people with my band(s). It was great fun and awesome freedom.

But then I met one particular girl. (Right?)

Kelli was a serious musical theater student (voice & dance) at Boston Conservatory and I was drawn like the proverbial moth to flame. We fell in & out over three years; but eventually came to realize it was now or never - can't live with or without - and got married. Phil McCarthey & Franco were there to help us celebrate. That was the official end of my time making a hardscrabble living on a stage.

Kelli and I played around as a free couple for all of three months before she became pregnant for the first time. (After those years of full-tilt piano man philandering you'd think I could have extended that a bit, but I was lost).

Well, I leveraged my abilities in writing and taking photos into an entry-level marketing/advertising position. So began a 15-year career in consumer marketing with corporate 500. Gratefully I did well quickly so I could feed everyone. Due in part, I honestly believe, to critical thinking abilities developed as a Crane.

We moved around the country a few times as I advanced and took bigger roles. We lived the 80's like most, all in, and raised three little ones who came in quick order.

Our three kids are Ashley, Joscelyn, and Dante.

You can tell from the photo below they surely take after their Mom.

Ashley teaches STEM courses at a college near us, Joscelyn got her master's in counseling and works with children, and Dante became the lawyer I didn't. Proud Dad!

Best of all, they all moved back close to us once they started their own families. To be close to Mom for sure.

They've each found their way to have two children each, which leads to Kelli and I being grandparents six (6) times. Which, like any of you that have grandchildren yourselves, brings joy and youthful feelings back again. Here's a pre-covid photo of the kids. I bet you can tell how they pair up.

As to my career,

I left the corporate race in the late '80s, spent the next decade in metal component manufacturing, building a business with two partners. Did great for a time and then got hammered by the giant sucking sound.

I founded a management consulting firm in 2004 and am still having a good time building that business. It's also given me the opportunity to spread out, invest into, and lead a portfolio of businesses in E-Commerce, capital fund/multi-family real estate, food distribution, and homecare.

The impact of Cranwell? That's a book unto itself I imagine. In short, though, I've come to learn it was an absolute privilege that gave me a decided advantage in life. Led me to conclude if we could only afford one private tuition for our own kids, it was wiser to spend it during the high school years than college. Once launched they could prosper at UMass. Right?

Unfortunately, and to the detriment of our retirement savings, I since learned that once you send them to private high schools, they don't want to go to the state college. Ugghh!