Passions are many for some & few for others...

Greetings Collectors,

The passions I have had in my life are not that many, but yet I have never really thought about it, as far as counting how many I have or have had. Besides the three "F's" which are Faith, Family & Friends, I branch off into natural & tangible. Many of you know a great deal about my life, my up-bringing and my current state of affairs. With the health issues I have, and those I am facing, I've been doing a lot of reflecting on past interests or passions and found sadly, there have been not so many. My interests for the most part are probably like most of yours. I really love my family. They are the most important thing to me. I have a daughter who just graduated from Law School at the University of Florida and now is in the process of obtaining one more feather in her "doctorial" cap by attending an additional year of school at NYU. She just found out a couple weeks ago she past her Fl. bar with a grade in the upper 95% of those taking it. She now is along with her present schooling, studying so that she will be a member of the New York bar as well. I could not be prouder of a human being than I am of her. I have always been a "hands on" dad and while I may not have been the best husband, both of my ex-wives say the kids could not have had a better dad. This fact alone makes me happier than any other thing I could possibly ever hope to obtain. I just pray that my two boys 13 & 15 turn out to be half as smart and good as this little girl.

My faith is not as strong as it once was but I'm still a "believer". Many of my closest friends have passed away due to many things, mostly from cancer. All of us in our 40's & 50's really need to stay on top of our health issues. My very best friend, hands down, I lost recently just because he didn't get a simple in-expensive blood test to check his PSA's This for those of you who don't know, is critical in detecting prostate cancer early. Charlie who was a former roommate in my early single years was the epitome of health. Had a house on the ocean, had his own vegetable garden and rode his bike nearly everywhere he went. He didn't drink or do drugs (although we both "messed around" many years ago) and was healthy almost to the point of disgust. He had a nagging backache that got steadily worse and by the time he went to the Dr. the cancer was in his spine, his organs, and everywhere else it could possible reside. This was in March. We scattered his ashes over the Atlantic ocean last weekend. Talk about a passion, his picture should be in the dictionary next to "passion for life".

We here have a real passion for this hobby we all hold so dear. Some of us, or I should say, most of us, eat it, sleep it, think it, drink it etc. I know I do. Next to the 3 F's it's slowly taken over 1st place in my passion dept. Surfing has always held that #1 spot all the way back to my grade school days. (right about the time I started coin collecting) I have traveled to so many beautiful islands and beaches, and I could write volumes of books on my exploits. Of course there is a great deal I would have to leave out for personal reasons. Being a fairly good surfer and one that has competed, does have its "perks" Wasn't a whole lot of money in it, but boy oh boy the perks were great.

Now I'm cruising down the "backside" of life and with a few less "buds" to tag along for the ride and I'm getting more and more immersed into this hobby I've enjoyed since 3rd grade. This has become my #1 passion next to those more important things I just mentioned. I have mixed feelings that gold & silver coins and the like have "overtaken" my #1 passion which is shown in the picture here of myself on a very passion filled day on a north Florida beach. It almost looks like I'm leaving the "old" and reaching toward the "new". I trust all of you have a "family & coin filled" weekend and one that you can further explore those "passions" of life.

The "silver to gold ratio" is currently at 56.252

Happy Collecting!

WKF