Larry Barker, president-elect of the Richmond Hill Rotary Club, answers  the questions this week:

1. What do you feel is your greatest achievement?
Raising two fine young men, Jason and Brian Barker, and being a good father.

2. What, to you, is perfect happiness?
A warm fire, my beautiful wife Linda reading a book next to it, our two chocolate labs, Sterling and Tivoli, laying next to us while I play a fine acoustic Ovation guitar.

3. What one material possession would you save in the event of a fire (assuming your family was safe)?
My guitars.

4. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?  
Always speak your peace, there will be no conversations from the grave.

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would have gone to medical school.

6. What is your greatest fear?
Not remembering lyrics or chords while performing.

7. What real or fictional person do you most identify with?
Zorro!

8. What is your greatest extravagance?
Worldwide travel.

9. If money weren’t an object, how would you spend your time?
Traveling and helping others less fortunate.

10. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
I’m growing older but not up. I’m still somewhere around 16.

11. What trait do you most admire in another person?
Patience.

12. What trait do you most deplore in another person?
Loud-mouthed, narcissistic braggarts.

13. Who are your favorite musicians?
Van Morrison, Amadeus Mozart and Dwight Yoakum.

14. What are your favorite books?
John Steinbeck’s “The Winter of Our Discontent” and W. Somerset Maugham’s “Of Human Bondage.”

15. What talent would you most like to have?
Concert pianist.