John M. Sipp Jr. (Jay Sipp)
Marital Status:
Been married for 15 years to my wife Diane, a wonderful woman from NH.
Children?
2 Boys, John III (8yrs) & Riley (6 yrs)
Grandchildren?
Nooooooo
Education:
Finished AA degree at Bergen Community, 1 year at Fairliegh Dickenson, then went on with many various job related certifications & licenses in Residential and Commercial Real Estate appraising through the 80's & 90's. I then moved to NH and did a career change to computer networking in 1999. I now hold certifications from Novell, Microsoft, Cisco, etc. as part of my job.
Occupation:
Corporate Network Manager, Service Credit Union, Portsmouth, NH. WWW.SERVICECU.ORG
Volunteer and Professional Activities:
Was president of the Bergen County Chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers for a few years, now just a Major Dad.
Current hobbies and interests:
Play 5 string banjo in local band, play men's league ice hockey once or twice a week.
What percentage of your hair is visibly gray (is this a trick question?)
Starting to pepper up a wee bit…but it's all still there!
If you had one year free of all responsibility and unlimited funds, what would you do?
Get lost in Alaska for _ year, then volunteer w/Red Cross 2nd half.
What are the most rewarding things that you have done in your life?
Escape from New Jersey (no offense intended, but NH is twice as nice at half the price!)
What rewarding things do you plan to do in your life?
Get my kids through college & retire healthy & flush with cash.
What are your favorite non-family related things to do in your free time?
As mentioned, my hobbies are playing the 5 string banjo & playing ice hockey. This is where most of my non-family related time is spent. I started hockey in 9th grade or so (thanks Dave Fairweather, Danny Fischer, Drew Danz, & Dave McDermott et al for turning me on to hockey). Over the years I've enjoyed playing a lot of hockey, even one year for Fairleigh Dickenson University where we traveled around & got beat up a lot by future pros. I still play now in various local leagues, etc. here in NH, where hockey is huge & the men's leagues are peppered with ex-pros. I was a bit bummed to hear that they built a huge quad rink in Hackensack right after I moved OUT of Hackensack, but oh well. I've heard RHS has a hockey program now, which can only be good.
I started playing the 5 string banjo when I was about 22 (1980+/-). Don't ask me why, but I believe it had to do with not only the unique sound, but also from being brought to bluegrass festivals by friends & seeing how much fun everyone was having partying & playing acoustic BlueGrass music. After taking starting lessons for a while at “Ackerman's Music” up in Midland Park, then messing with it on & off for 10 yrs or so & not getting anywhere, I decided to get serious, found that one of the best players/teachers in the country (Tony Trischka) lived right in Fair Lawn. He really got me going & I have been having a ball with it ever since. I play weekly informally with a local group here on the seacoast of NH called “Lobster Creek”, playing out very occasionally at local events & fairs, etc. Summers are spent “festivaling” throughout the northeast, where you basically camp, party & play music till you drop. I enjoy meeting all sorts of new people at these things, & playing all types of music. I've even run across several RHS'ers over the years, including Eric Hanson a few times, and Billy Gaston, who's now a monster banjo player out of northern Vt. I also ran into Kevin Lutke this past summer up in Maine, who was with his brother Steve, also a nationally renowned banjo player who I once took lessons from up in Oakland.
All in all, these extra curricular activities are great stress relievers, nothing but fun, & help me keep my cool & collected persona on the up & up.
How would you best describe your idea of "being successful?"
My idea of being successful is to love & be loved, loving what you do & doing what you love, while watching your kids grow. (all in a stress and debt free environment, of course!)
What are your most vivid memories of your days in Ridgewood?
The house I grew up in
4th of July parade & then fireworks (up on Valley View)
Hanging out at Graydon Pool or Vet's field, and playing touchy feely with the chicks from BF.
What achievement or activity are you most proud of in your life?
My two sons.
What single piece of wisdom would you like to leave for the next generation?
Invest early
How have you changed since high school?
Since high school I learned that drugs and excess alcohol are nowhere, that I could do anything that I set my mind to, and that the key to relationships and a long marriage is to always compromise. (and that that goes both ways).
What else should we know about you?!
All's well & see you all at the reunion.