Welcome to Greg Taylor
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the son, at dinner with his mother in North East, Maryland many years ago
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the joining of fact and fiction
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This egosite is his alone, but he is willing to share it with you. Greg Taylor is a multifaceted, multi-media American philosopher, methodologist, artist, illustrator, poet and writer of note with over 42 years experience in the world of audio and visual communications, both creative and business. As an alumnus of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia (1965-1966), as a graduate of Penn State University in English (1971) and as a veteran technical writer, ghost writer, editor plus illustrator in industry (1972-present), he feels confident and well-adjust in his skin. If you interested in his world of reasonable truths and values, read on. If not, he is sure you have something better to do with your time. Somehow, you found this site on your own, or someone told you about it. Either way, welcome to the Islands of his Mind.
This site, in its entirety, is written in the third person by the author himself. He believes it is better to meet him this way. As Benjamin Franklin noted, it is better to offer new ideas as if someone told you rather than presenting them as ideas of your own. It seems ideas are better accepted by others as coming from someone other than the developer of the idea himself. He agrees. So much for the first person. How about a few snapshots to start out?
Directing traffic in Wyandotte, Michigan, 1946 "Hey, they went thataway!"
His wife, Elizabeth, home base for the man. Cute, isn't she?
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Holding down the rickrack in Maryland, 1996
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Quote: "I am an artist who uses my hands, mind and eyes. I am used to brushes and pencils, ink and paper, even though I have become an expert with the computer. The point-by-point development feature of Microsoft Paint and its fathomless simplicity is delightfully fulfilling for a person who likes to play with blocks. I don't feel comfortable using sophisticated computer graphics programs that try to create an artist through coding. They frustrate me and often complicate what I can do well enough myself. As a last resort, I will draw the object by hand then scan it into the document. As well-meaning as these advanced programs are, and the fact that marvelous new professionals have come from them, I prefer a cup of coffee, a few hours, and fussing with my pixels."
"The Kid" at Admiral Farragut Academy, 1956, on the 55-foot Trumpy, Broadway Lady of Philadelphia
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Need we put a title on this?
His Favorite Pasttime
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The family, etcetera, at home in the Folly Room (always a full house)
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OZZIE, security (full name: Ozzie d'Pup Poofle)
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His Favorite Aircraft, Beech Super 18 (thanks flughafengallery)
Others include the Convair 440, Martin 404
"I have an intense drive to write about those who participated in WWII," he says, "particularly those in the Navy submarine services of both the Axis and American fleets. I feel I have been contacted by these men as "knockers" who visit me politely periodically to write their stories, correct history and dramatize the events they specify. My novel, 22Tango, is an example and includes the story of U-156, among others.
"The USS Scorpion is a piece of artwork I created. It is dedicated to Lieutenant Junior Grade, Richmond Ellis, lost with his crewmen, first quarter, 1944," he continues with a tear in his eye. "Richmond was a friend of my mother's in Naugatuck, Connecticut, a man who intended to propose at a later date - that day never came. I had one spiritual experience with Richmond just before Mother passed away, and it was a shock, but I dealt with it, and proposed his ship and his crewmembers in the most respectful and honorable way I could....in this, my website. The following details, and the list of men who were lost with Richmond."
Details of SS-278 USS Scorpion
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"Mother in the early days, before my birth, before WWII, about the time of Richmond Ellis"
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"I am more socially acceptable wet than dry" he says. We agree
My Motto: Think BIG or be small
"This ego website is like water, it seeks its own level, and since you are here reading this material and joining me in my personal reverie, you must represent a given level of water. Good. This is an eccentric place not designed for mass consumption, but rather, a place to visit for those of you who want to be involved with something different, those of you looking for material for literature, movies or TV plots, and those just stopping by. This site, with its worlds provokes thought and emotion as well as general interest."
This place is not for everyone, but may be just right for you.
First Composite Painting by "what's his name" (tempera on Bristol board)
Greg enjoyed learning German while stationed at Wiesbaden Airbase (no longer in existence) and became an honorary member of a German soccer club in Fortbieler. He attended night classes in the University of Maryland Extension Program. His favorite instructor was Herr Royce, a dynamic man who took the class to a local restaurant (gasthaus) for food and drink as part of the final exam for the course. He think that the education of the United States, his original place, is stilted, inadequate, unimaginative, and too much in the hands of ignorant parents. His stint in Germany, just a period in his life, encouraged his appreciation for the grand cultures of the world and their respective peoples. His love of exotic beers was also addressed. Graduating in English from Penn State, with a major in Creative Writing, he pursued a career in the written word combined with an ongoing career as a fine artist, illustrator, cartoonist/caricaturist, poet and ghost writer.
Greg with an "ear of corn" baby
Early inspirations include, MGB sport cars, blonds in short skirts with white boots, and beers of all nations. All these elements kept him from accepting his swimming coach's suggestion in Quakertown, PA, Coach Spangler, when in 1962, he tried to talk him and another team mate Kenny Freed, into accepting training to attempt to qualifying for the 1964 Olympics, he in breast stroke, Kenny in freestyle (Kenny had the most impressive flip turns and style). Greg only lost two races in two seasons, one laughing at his father (cheering halfway up a flagpole, and the other by a dynamic swimmer named Dave Woods who did not go to the Olympics, but chose, rather, to become a coach himself. Way to go, Dave.
When he was younger and socially inclined, he joined the Alpha Delta Chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. "I still know the spiel and my worm name from 1963. I feel the fraternity is now too business-like and quota-conscious, and makes me feel, like I have for some time, that the effect of Corporate America has taken some of the charm out of just having a good time and being independent. I contacted my chapter some time ago to see if anyone was interested in the old times, but was discouraged to find out that not only were there no interested parties for the old times, there were very few Old Timers still in contact. Oh well, I never was much of a follower. I can count my friends on one finger."
Guess who in High School, 1961, Quakertown, Pennsylvania; handsome lad he was (am)
After a stint as a mediocre polo player in Lancaster during the 70s, because of coming from a polo family (all brothers and one sister) and enjoying the high social profile, he retired into boating, which was more rewarding for him and included his family in a more participatory way. Boats owned included a 24-foot 1924 antique Crosby sailboat, HALO; a restored 16-foot 1954 Trojan SeaBee, MAGIC; a restored 14-foot 1959 Penn Yan speedboat, DRAGONFLY; a 16-foot Com-Pac trailer/sailer, TEEFER II; an 8-foot inflatable, THE MOUSE; three 8-foot sailing dinghies, PINCHY, SQUEEZY and TWEAKIE; a 40-foot Owens cabin cruiser, NO NAME; and a 26-foot MacGregor water-ballast sailboat, SEA PROMPT. He started a sailing club for the kids in his neighborhood and yacht club. He called it the Feely Fleet Sailing Club, because of the three sailing dinghies, Pinchy, Squeezy and Tweakie, not to mention the MacGregor, and wrote a whole manual for the group. The club fell apart when some of the young members didn't want to play by the rules. Oh, well, again.
A gift from his mother - 16-foot 1954 Trojan SeaBee, Magic
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Recording Father Time in his home studio (with family members)
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Farm Scene on SI
Microsoft Paint
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"The Internet is much like the old west in character. You didn't want to carry a gun, but you didn't feel safe without one. My guard is up. I know my 'worlds' are as vulnerable as any other business on the information highway. I am going to stick with it. I am building a legacy, and only patience, good business and a friendly mien will do it. It is too easy to become disenchanted, and people are stressed today which makes them rude and out of character (I hope..... I don't want to accept the fact that they might actually be like this naturally). They are powered by too many carbs and need to settle down to a steak, potatoes and a stiff drink. It is a fault of the times, not necessarily of human nature."
"This site reflects my insistence of soul over role"
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a face only a mother could love..... and a wife, and a few kids and maybe some grandkids....perhaps you
(2005)
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Some of his favorite characters from www.scrambledeggheads.com
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HEY YOU!
WHAT?
Where's Greg?
In the Studio, Duh!
"See ya' at the bah, ya'll."
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......still walking
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To visit all my "friends," by name, click on Pic
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Copyright 2001, 2006, Gregory St. John Taylor, All Rights Reserved