Hi!  Jon here.  I'm the proud owner of the Mississippi School of English in Mie Prefecture, Japan.  I was born and raised in the twin cities of Pascagoula/Moss Point in the great state of Mississippi, where I lived until coming to Japan after graduating from Mississippi State University with a Masters of Counselor Education.  I have been living in Japan since the summer of '92 and have thoroughly enjoyed the thrill/adventure of learning a new language and culture.

If you ask anyone that knows me they will tell you that I've always been a kid at heart.  This can be seen in some of my favorite hobbies Comic Books, and Action Figures.  I have an extensive collection of both.  I also enjoy studying Japanese, weight training (if only it would show LOL) Sailing, and Snorkeling.  On top of that, I am a big fan of Star Trek, Star Wars, and Wrestling.  Care to challenge me in a trivia contest?  Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?  LOL  Among my favorite musical performers are Tori Amos, U2, David Bowie, and anything by Andrew Lloyd Webber.  I can sing almost any song of his by heart, much to the regret of my poor wife on long drives.  I think that one of my more unique hobbies is I like to make Animated Videos.  I've always been a creative person and this has become one of my outlets for the ideas that are always bouncing around in my head.

If I had to pick a favorite saying it would be one that I saw on a button worn by Stacy Maxie in college.  It said, "Everyone needs a hero.  I'm mine."  To me that made a lot of sense.  Not that I think that I'm a hero, but that I have an idea of what an ideal me would be.  This has given me something to live up to.