He’s
always been a storyteller...
Around
the time Bob was six-years-old, his parents attended a meeting
with his teacher. She explained to them that of all the children
she had ever taught, “Little Bobby” was the one she would most
want to be marooned on an island with because of his amazing stories.
This
did not shock his parents.
Since
that time, Bob has managed to avoid being stranded—alone or in
a group—on a deserted island. However, he has: graduated from
Syracuse University, been an instructor for several Red Cross
courses, worked at the largest casino in the world, and in all
sorts of wonderful ways repeatedly avoided utilizing his English
degree and medical background.
He’s
also continued sharing his stories...
Bob
graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in
English. While at
school, he began working on the campus ambulance service, which
developed into some decent medical experience after also spending
several years working in the operating room of a hospital. Naturally,
with an English degree and medical background, the majority of
his professional career has been spent in other fields.
In
March of 2003, Bob brought his writing efforts to the web with
his own site, In
My Backpack. Over the years, the site has included
general
interest essays, sports
and travel
material, specialized writing such as movie reviews, and also
has captured the flavors-of-the-day
in an on-going journal
segment.
Bob
has conducted hundreds of interviews,
many of which have appeared in full or in part on the Backpack
site. Some of the people he has met and worked with include: Tom
Colicchio, Suzi Quatro, Earl Swift, Jimmy Haslip, Terry Fator,
Jerry Springer, and Emilio Estefan.
Though
Bob considers himself “a writer with a camera,” that hasn’t stopped
him from creating a sizeable portfolio of professional work. On
his web site, photo
galleries exist for several entertainers, as well as
a feature on the touring exhibition of Diana: A Celebration.
His photographs have been used by groups such as Legends in
Concert, and his writing and/or photography efforts have
also appeared in several print and on-line outlets.
He
proudly refers to the web site as Backpackville and The 'ville,
nicknames earned by the atmosphere of neighborhood and community
the ever-expanding site has developed.
In
January of 2012, Bob began an effort called Local
Friends for Local Business. By establishing a monthly
challenge, Local Friends strives to raise awareness and support
for unique and special neighborhood treasures -- the small businesses
in every community.
Born
and raised in Rhode Island, Bob currently lives in the northeast
United States with his wife, Terry.
