Names Thomas but people call me Big Twig or Twig for short, I got that name in 8th grade or so because I was tall and skinny (like a big twig) and the name has stuck ever since. I was born and raised in Silver Spring, MD and moved to Miami in 2000 and back to Silver Spring in 2008 and now live in an apartment in Bethesda, MD but do my smoking at my Grandmothers house in Silver Spring (where I mostly grew up). I was raised hunting, fishing & camping so that lead to a lot of cooking. I always grew up around a custom horizontal offset smoker and neighborhood people with giant smokers and pig cookers so I started smoking at a very young age. Having moved away and my father moving took me away from the great smokey taste I have always loved, except for a few times I would visit during the summer. Well, I couldn't take it anymore so a week or 2 ago I bought a WSM because of the guidance of all the great people on the SMF and I couldn't feel better to have the flavor back. I got married in Jamaica (my favorite place to vacation) to my best friend. We basically are always together and now she loves food so I am very lucky when it comes to new purchases. I have cooked in all sorts of places from fancy restaurants to dive bars and also bar-tended for 10+ years. Went to culinary school but graduated with a marketing degree instead of culinary (I didn't like the chefs and wasn't being challenged enough). Future goal is to open a beach bar with my wife but it is taking longer then expected since I got laid off from the Washington Post and now I am broke, but in due time. Now I do a little cooking for side $$ and try to make the best of everyday. I love sports, the beach, reggae & classic rock, being outside, the heat, also the heat in my food (chili head), fishing, boating, etc.. Well I won't bore you anymore with my story but I am a very outgoing person so if you want to know more about me just ask. Thanks for listening and I'm glad to be here!