Occupation: I am a self-employed carpenter. I own Nutmeg Woodcrafters and specialize in basement remodeling.

Family: I am happily married to Charlene. We have three children. Jesse is 22 years old, Jason is 19, and Bethany is 16 and a junior at Newtown High School.

Pets: We have Oliver and Mo. Oliver is about 6 years old and Mo is probably almost 14 years old. They’re a couple of mutts. One we got from my sister and Mo was found wandering around Waterbury.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We have lived in Newtown for 15 years.

What do you do in your free time? I like to play my guitar and I paint — mostly acrylics and pastels. I go through phases with reading. This is the time of year I read a lot.

Do you have a favorite book? I like Thoreau’s Walden Pond. It’s probably one of the only books I’ve read more than four times. I also am almost through with Ray Kurzweil’s The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology. Talk about different books — Thoreau and Kurzweil.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? I’ve got a lot of family on the Cape, in Wellfleet, so we go there. We all snowboard, so we like Vermont, too. We have a little place in West Dover, near Mount Snow.

What is the best thing about Newtown? It’s a small town. It’s like Ridgefield 25 years ago, where I grew up. You’re living in a rural environment, but you’re in a prosperous area. The people are good in Newtown, too.

Do you have a hero? My wife. She’s a very sound, clear thinker. She’s somebody who follows her heart all the time.

What is your personal philosophy? I would say, don’t split hairs over what’s politically correct. Do what you feel is right and live by the Golden Rule — Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You. There’s a line I like, I think from Thoreau or maybe Emerson: “Live the life you’ve imagined.”

What is the most important lesson you have learned? Slow down and enjoy life. It’s a short ride.