John has survived a 40-year teaching careeer in NSW, Australia ina country one-teacher school, a central school and a large city primary school. After a mid-life crisis he went back to complpete bachelor's and master's degrees at the Univesity of Newcastle.

He and his wif Carolyn have travlled extensiely in Europe, including Russia, Ukraine and Turkey  as well as China and Morocco.

John's other interests include amateur theatre, in which he has performed in over forty plays without troubling any talent scouts, and playing clarinet and the University of Newcastle Wind Orchestra. Currently he conducts a small orchestra for Lake Macquarie U3A. He is also a keen gardener in what one grandchild referredto as "Pa's forest'.