A Bit About Me - Jo Ann Schneider Farris

I am Jewish, and I've explored many paths to God in my lifetime. I've even served as a missionary in a well-known religious organization and passed out religious pamphlets on the streets of New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles.



(Years later, I was sure that that organization was a cult or cult-like. For a time, I led a cause that tried to expose that organization's wrongs. I truly believed, at that time, that God wanted me to lead that cause. I felt like I had been called for that purpose, like Moses.)

I've studied for the past 8 years through a program called Partners In Torah. I find my Orthodox Jewish study partner's life fascinating, but I know I could never be an Orthodox Jew.

When my husband almost died 5 1/2 years ago, people from all religions were praying for him. I appreciate all of those prayers. Since Dan's living was a miracle, I do believe miracles can occur.

I met my husband Dan, at Calvary Chapel of Long Beach, on a youth camping trip to Catalina Island during the summer of 1978. That old (now non-existing) Calvary Chapel of Long Beach was filled with very loving people.

On April 7, 2011, Dan and I will celebrate our 32nd anniversary.

Dan and I also shared a house for 3 years when we were first married. It was sort of like a mini-commune.

I was born in Los Angeles and I grew up in southern California. My family lived in the San Fernando Valley, then Belair (next to Beverly Hills), and then Aracadia. In 1975, my parents moved to Illinois, but I never really lived there, but did visit.

"The Three Schneiders" were figure skaters. My brother, Billy, went to Colorado to train for skating when I was a teen. I am a graduate of Hollywood Professional School (a school in southern California that movie stars and kids in the arts and sports attended).

I went to Colorado for skating and college shortly after my brother, Billy, left for Colorado. I left competitive figure skating in 1977, but in early 1983, I began coaching skating.

I've been a skating director at two different rinks and also an ISI competition director. In addition to teaching figure skating, I've taught many hockey players to skate and gain power, and I've also taught in-line skating (rollerblading). I am proud to say that I've done sit spins in hockey skates and jumps and spins on inline skates!

Once I went to the top of Vail Mountain and tried to roller ski down in a pair of Trail Skates. (That venture didn't work.)

My life has links to skating everywhere. I am fascinated that figure skaters are linked in some way throughout life.



My three children have followed the Schneider family tradition and are competitive figure skaters. They skate six days a week and have competed and medaled at the national level. They are homeschooled, but attend a "school for homeschoolers" (now isn't that an oxymoron?) called Mountain Vista Homeschool Academy. We are so busy that I don't think anyone except other figure skaters could understand our life!

I love my job with About.com as About.com's Guide to Figure Skating since I like to write so much. A friend once told me that words just flow out of me. I am the author of 2 books that can be purchased on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Borders. (One of the books I wrote, Sentenced For Life, will be discussed a bit in this blog.)