He could not always answer that question in that way.  Bill eagerly points out that he worked as a paramedic for Lee County EMS in Fort Myers, Florida for 31 years.
Woodturning became my release valve.  “It helped me get through the last ten years of my career as a paramedic.” 

“ It is as relaxing as a hot tub.”

“After a year of floundering I got serious about woodturning and looked for a mentor.”  He met Paula Nicks, also from Fort Myers, who introduced him to harvesting wood.  Bill says, “The first day I met Paula she dragged me to a parking lot where some Java Plum trees were being taken down 
by a tree service.”  “We spent the entire afternoon cutting 
and loading.”  “I enjoyed it immensely and was hooked forever.”  “The next time we got together we worked on my turning skills and we have been great friends since.” Paula introduced Bill to the American Association of Woodturners, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, and a local craft 
guild.

The AAW offered Bill a chance to meet other woodturners and artists.  Only a few months after joining AAW, Bill received an educational grant to study at Arrowmont and immediately following his class attended his first AAW Symposium.  “It was quite a month,” remembers Bill.  “I met three people who would later greatly influence my work as a woodturning artist.”

At his first AAW Symposium Bill met David and Suzy Wahl who would befriend him and become wonderful mentors as well.  “David and Suzy gave me the encouragement and approval I needed to follow a successful path in the art world.”  “They are warm and friendly people who guide with a very gentle and invisible hand.”  The following year Bill founded “Woodturners of Southwest Florida,” Chapter 120 of AAW, and served as president for four years.

“American Woodturner” has published two of Bill’s articles written about local woods with historical significance and he occasionally writes product reviews for “More Woodturning Magazine.”

Now a full time woodturner and wood merchant, Bill and his wife and partner Patty travel to club meetings and woodturning symposiums where Bill demonstrates his knowledge of turning Norfolk Island pine and other tropical woods found in Southwest Florida.  Their combined woodturning and wood sales business is called “Tropical Turnings/Woods of Florida.”