This very limited autobiography is for those who are really bored,
or who want to know if they might know me from somewhere else. Everyone
else is welcome to read it, but be forewarned, it might not be of any interest
to you, and certainly won't be very useful.
What I Remember About Being a Kid
I was born Matthew Miller in Lynchburg, VA...well, I don't remember
that, but they tell me it's true. If you really want to know, and believe
in that sort of thing, I'm an Aquarius.
My family and I lived in Farmville, VA, then in Richmond, VA, until
about 1973, when we moved to Hershey, PA. In 1976, we moved near Hanover,
PA.
There, I attended New Oxford Elementary School, and then New Oxford
Junior High School. Sometime during this period, my mother
remarried. I gained a father and two brothers (respectively,
Dave, Morg, and Dan). I retained my last name.
In 1982, I started attending Delone Catholic High School in McSherrystown,
PA. Though neither my parents or myself are Catholic, it was the best educational
opportunity available in our area.
I graduated from Delone in 1986.
College and Albuquerque, NM
Yes, New Mexico is one of the United States! (People always ask me when I
tell them that I lived in New Mexico, "I didn't know you spoke
Spanish!")
After high school, I went to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque,
supposedly to study journalism. However, I mostly studied the fine art
of partying. Hanover was a small town, and I was a long way from any parental
control. Needless to say, the college experience lasted only about 1 year.
During that time, I was converted to the Buddhism of Nichiren Shonin
(NSA at that time, now SGI-USA). Although
I practiced quite devotedly at that time, in 1990, partially out of laziness
and because of some stupid shit they were teaching, I stopped practicing for
several years. I started practicing again in 1997, but came to realize that
the reorganized version of the group had a whole new set of failings (as well
as retaining one or two of their old ones). Fortunately, I was able to find
through a friend another school of Nichiren Buddhism,
Nichiren Shu, which not only seems to me to adhere more to the correct
teachings of Buddhism, but also practices the teaching of the Buddha and
Nichiren Shonin without the BS that some other organizations seem to want
to propagate.
After college, I stayed in New Mexico for another 3 ½ years.
During that time, I did several things, starting with work in the graphic
arts and printing industry, then wandering all over including stints at all three
of Pepsico's fast food chains (Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza
Hut), as well as at McDonald's. I also tried my hand at telemarketing and
sales (including door-to-door vacuum cleaner sales!!!)
I finally found my niche after I turned 21. For years I had told myself
I would never enjoy the bar scene. About 8 months after my 21st birthday,
however, someone convinced me to try it. Within 3 months, I was working
at the largest gay bar in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Mining Company.
I started there as a barback, then was promoted to doorman and security,
and finally was made some weird combination of those two as well as assistant
manager.
While working there, I met my first lover, Anthony Gabaldon. Our relationship
lasted a while, but was on the rocks when one of my coworkers told me he
was moving to New York to work on Broadway. He had connections, he told
me.
So much for good old Albuquerque!
New York City
New York is probably one of the places I remember least well. I partied
continuously, with the help of some of those "friends in the right places"
I had heard so much about. However, it's also the one place that I have
ever felt that I was in the right place. Between the culture, the nightclubs,
the friendliness of the people (believe it or not), and the fact that people are
typically accepted totally for who they are (the opposite of other places,
where you are accepted for being like some group), NYC is truly
"home" to me.
My coworker from Albuquerque really was well-connected, thank goodness.
We moved across the country in a very used car pulling a UHaul to no job,
no apartment, no nothing. He found himself a job, introduced me to people
who gave me a job, and arranged an apartment very rapidly. (No we weren't
sleeping together! Get your mind out of the gutter!)
I was also introduced to the right people to get into Theatre (the capital
letter could be heard when these people said this word).
I ended up managing a bar, working in a nightclub, filling in for the
production electrician (better known as the light man) on the (off-)Broadway show, Nunsense, doing errands
for a nightclub promoter (Bruce Lynn...thank you always), partying my ass
off, starving, and doing several things I regret now...cocaine, mostly.
Stay away from it! It's the reason I don't live in New
York anymore!
Back to Pennsylvania
So I moved back to Pennsylvania when the jobs and money ran out.
First I tended bar back in Hanover. They fired me for being gay. Then for
several long years I tried to make
my computer consulting business and my media services business work, while
caring for my house-ridden grandmother. Lack of capital ensured that I
didn't made that into a life-supporting venture at the time.
At that point, I went back to an old love of mine, herbal healing. I
worked at a natural health food store for a year, while still working at
my own business. The health food store had a change of ownership, and the
new owner and I had some large differences of opinion, so we parted company.
I finally decided answer my "true" calling, so I got a job at Daisy
Data, a computer company in Harrisburg. I started there as a production
line-worker and was promoted to quality assurance and field service pretty
quickly. In June of 1997, I was promoted into administration, and
I'm now the marketing director. Thank you David and Henry Shefet
for having faith in my abilities!
So I moved to Harrisburg. These days, when I'm not working at my "real"
job, I'm freelancing for design, public relations, and marketing. I really think
the "calling" that I've been talking about is graphic design and
marketing. In what little free time I have, I write, mess around with graphics,
wRitE (if you know, you know), fool around with making music, and listen to a
whole lot of music.
Bored yet?
More current facts of very little interest except to the bored can be found
at My Answers to the Guestbook Questions.
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