about the Gardiner family
John Clifton Gardiner (Cliff) is a writer of screenplays, stories and comic books. He also works as an artist under the name Maxwell and works as a musician in the bands Higher Math and Johnny Go and the Jazzmen as well as working occassionally with other bands in the area. He has a background in television and not only went to video technical school, but also taught basic video production and basic and advanced editing at Public Access Center in Austin, Texas, and worked as a cameraman for the CBS affiliate in Austin, Texas, KTCB. As Maxwell he worked freelance for Rock'n'Roll comics and also penciled a newspaper comic strip with Wendell Simpson for the Central Florida Advocate called "Kalahari Sam".
Bonnie Phillips Gardiner is an artist, musician and writer. She sketches with pencil, charcoil or ink, but from there everything else is computer generated or enhanced. She has an intense love of computers and uses hers as her art, music and movie studio. Her music is computer generated as well, but using mostly natural sounds. Her "band" is called Orphic Endeavors and her music has been used on a documentary and has been included on several independent compilation CDs. She has won some small awards for her poetry in the past, but hates to write it, so only does when her muse forces her to. She has a passion for photography as well, but doesn't have the proper equipment at this time to do anything of note. She is learning flash animation and learning to make movies with a cheap video camera and her computer. A few samples are on the Orphic Endeavors section of this site. And finally, her number one hobby is building massive websites. (It's a good thing too, isn't it?)
Marjorie Elaine Pare' is an artist and game junkie who hopes to someday go to gamer school in Phoenix, Arizona. She is learning 3d rendering at home on her own computer, but she also draws by hand. She's also an honor roll student.
Ian Noel Pare' is a writer of stories and an artist. He writes imaginative science fiction stories and loves Bionicle toys. He also loves to sing.
Recently Ian was diagnosed as have NLD (Nonverbal Learning Disorder) and earlier this year has was diagnosed as having ADHD. He is currently on Concerta, but his doctor thinks that will change. We are trying to find the medication that helps him best at this time. Please go to the new bpgisme ADHD, NLD and Autism forum to read more about Ian's case.
Maxwell Ryan Gardiner is only six years old. He is severely Autistic and cannot talk, eat with a spoon, use the potty or dress himself. He is going to a special class for Autistic children with only three other kids. He has a speech therapist, two occupational therapists, a physical therapist and three teachers. He goes to theraputic swimming classes and theraputic horseback riding classes. He refuses to wear clothes at home, has a bad and sometimes violent temper, bangs his head when he's upset, screams at the top of his lungs when he's happy, and absolutely adores music. He is an angel and a little devil at the same time. He is very destructive, but is happiest when lining up toy cars, stacking up paperback books, or tearing out yellow pages in the phone book. He is very loving and loves to be cuddled and kissed.
We hope for the best, wish for a miracle, but are satisfied that for now he seems to be happy.
Cookie Gardiner, our accident prone calico cat was born in May 2003. We are very attached to her and consider her our fourth child.
