Ok NHS grads, the reunion is coming up, let’s see some real bios ! Everyone has an interesting story to tell. Here is a humble account of my charmed life so far... After graduating from The University of Delaware’s new Media Arts Program (and a post grad degree from RUM in Philadelphia (really Ronnie’s University of Mixology) I strode off to New York City, where I knew no one, to pursue (with a little dose of hubris) the lofty goal of running a Graphic Design Firm. I took off my sophomore year off to attend East Carolina University (rated #2 in the county for party schools) before getting back to business, coming out of a 9 month hangover and 50's Frat decadence.

Since 1973 I have been blessed to be a resident of Lower Manhattan in this grand, noble and spectacular mayhem that is New York City.

Gradually I built up enough clients to give up bartending several nights a week at the great spots of Greenwich Village where I had moved to (oh if those cocktail shakers could talk !). At different times my client base was restaurants, the Housewares business and general small business with a package of Graphic Design, Illustration. Publicity and Advertising. Eventually I grew tired of this and began to design and market erudite products, primarily for the Gift Industry. My most notorious line was the InfoTees, T Shirts with Language Translation Guide for travelers and illustrated nature and cultural guides for the curious, all printed upside down, so when you wore the shirt you could look down and access the information... uh .. "I would like a room for two" or more importantly "Where is the bathroom?" I was traveling a lot then and invented these to get around. The line had 16 different language shirts and dozens of guides to Garden Bugs, Hand Tools, Tree Leaves, Blackjack tables, etc. Ah, my first dose of fame. Additionally my product line contained Computer Screen stick on Greeting Cards, Placemats, Spice themed gift packages, etc.

I then moved to real estate (real estate is to New York what oil is to Houston) since I had moved into an 1843 stable house duplex in Soho and oversaw the renovation and legalization of that building. I was involved in development, property management and brokerage. Currently I am buying and developing investment rental properties in the beautiful Pocono Mountains (where they reluctantly call me "The Robert"... hardly!) and am a Real Estate Consultant for numerous law firms and organizations.

FAMILY LIFE: I married late at 37 to Barbara Wise, who had grown up in London and Paris, but had Quaker roots in Germantown, PA. With my travels and work lifestyle I had never planned to have a family until I got one of those blissful telephone calls ..."Are you my daddy?" Stacy Lyons adopted at birth and now 23 years old in 2004 had finally found me and her birth mother in Nashville after an exhausting 3 year search. She is a gorgeous (of course ) graduate of George Washington University and a soulful care giver – she is a certified Doula and Yoga teacher and also works as a counselor to the Brain Injured of New Jersey where she resides in Montclair.

I am thrilled to now have a new best friend and email buddy! As my friends say (during the Baby Shower they threw me) you did it the right way ... no diapers, hormones or tuition!

PLACES TO REST MY HEAD: For 25 years I have spent summer weekends in Fire Island a magical barrier island of Long Island. It is the largest undeveloped Barrier Island in the US with no roads, no cars only boat access - 5 miles off the mainland. We also have a home atop Mt Pohopoco in the Pocono Mountains to balance the seasons.

HAPPY FEET: I have done a lot of traveling throughout the states, Mexico, Latin and South America, Europe and Africa. Walking above the spectacular water drop in Brazil’s Iguacu Falls, wandering back in Biblical times in the endless labyrinth of the souks of Marrakesh, dining with the mayor in a tiny "Brigadoon" style Mediaeval village in Southern France, celebrating Bastille Day with the Parisians, discovering my Great Great Grandfather’s grave in Glasgow - all vivid memories of the this great planet.

HELPING: In NYC my volunteer work has mostly be centered on the elderly. Working with Village Visiting Neighbors, I spent most Thursday afternoons visiting homebound seniors and teaching craft classes in numerous organizations. I have also adopted a school in Southern Mexico and am starting a new helping organization here call SchoolDirect, where one can adopt a school directly and contribute to them without all the money lost in charitable organization’s operating costs and expenses, all the money goes directly to the teachers to fulfill their requests to you for soccer uniforms, art supplies, books, etc. All the kids send you wonderful letters and pictures.

REDISCOVERING THE PAINTBRUSH: At Delaware I also studied painting but years of applied art drained me. In the past few years I have been painting again in watercolors and showing my work. Now I am finishing up a series for a show on Labor Day. I am proud to have been admitted to the fabled Salmagundi Club here.

A LIFE OF CLUTTER: Since my junior high days of painting plastic models of songbirds, I have always had a passion for collecting. After 20 years I now have one of the worlds greatest collections of American Vintage Poster Stamps, and also collect Japanese 1950's battery operated toys (Thank to Peggy for the Haunted House Toy contribution) and vintage wind up toys. I also have a small museum of Natural and Cultural Artifacts and Relics. Barb was successfully influential in my disposal of my collections of Kitsch (it took awhile although it was disturbing).

DELAWARE FAMILY: My mom will be celebrating her 88^th birthday in September and she still is on Briar Lane compulsively tending her lawn and garden, vacuuming the driveway and caring to the needs of UD foreign students who reside in the two mini apartments there. My sister Melanie (1972) is a school psychologist who decided to tackle her mid life crisis by starting Medical School in Philly.. isn’t it time to slow down now not think about 2000 hours of internship. My older sister Joan (who never recovered from being the chaperone/overseer of Tau Zeta) has retired from being the librarian of a Sussex Co library.

VOYEURS: I know you are out there.. Our loft was featured on National Television on the House and Garden Network and I downloaded the segment on YouTube.com – just type in "Shin Bone Alley Loft" in the search box and you can see it. Let me know if I should keep my day job or am a budding TV star!

WHEW: So there it is NHS grads, post your bio or email me at rbluehen@aol.com.. 

Good night and good luck to all.  Robbie

 1BE2

Class of 1967