This conversation is with Artit Vibulakaopun, an alumnus with a career path that shows curiosity and confidence, two traits common in TJ graduates. Art brings a lot of joy and reflection to the conversation, and it was a pleasure to hear about his time at TJ (including his student cleaning business!).
You can find out more about Art at his website: https://artvibulakaopun.com/
Matthew Troutman (00:00):
Thomas Jefferson school or TJ in st. Louis, Missouri is a unique place, a boarding and day school with a small community of students from all over the world. Our mission asks us as educators to provide the strongest possible academic background. Our mission also asks our students to desire to lift up the world with beauty and intellect. Our graduates go on to wonderful careers after TJ and this series intends to capture the stories of our alumni for this conversation. We're going to talk with our team. [inaudible], He's a graduate from the eighties and has a really interesting career, both at TJ. And after I think he truly embodies what we want to see in our graduates, somebody who cares deeply about the community, that they're a part of see how they can impact that community. And at the same time, they're curious to learn new skills, try out different careers and know with confidence that they can go into them and do them well. I hope you enjoy the conversation we have with art today. Well, art, thanks for joining the conversation series. How are you doing this?
Art Vibulakaopun (01:12):
Doing good. They all, it's a nice sunny day for once in st. Louis, so a little bit warmer, but it, it is late October, so, well, all right.
Matthew Troutman (01:22):
Kind of unique backstory. I'm kind of curious if we could jump in and ask, how did you find out about TJ? How did you end up there? And then maybe talk a little bit about your time at TJ.
Art Vibulakaopun (01:35):
My father is a retired internist, so a general practitioner down at st. Francis County, specifically banter Missouri. And another doctor down there dr. Kim, whose two sons went to TJ Chenault channel was their first starting, you know his eighth grade, I believe was Chino's first year there. Chino is two years older than I am. So and then his younger brother, chin SU two years my year was in my class. That's how my parents found out, but my were friends with my dad and colleague down there in st. Francis County. They worked at the same hospitals ran around in similar circles. So my parents decided that they wanted to send me to private school, just to give me an opportunity that they didn't have growing up in, in Thailand. So came up I think I met bill Rowe first was running admissions at the time.
Art Vibulakaopun (02:43):
And I obviously met headmaster, Larry Morgan and maybe some other teachers, and then we toured the campus. And so it was between that and Sean manag, cause those were the only two boarding schools at the time. And so I don't think I applied at Shama NY. TJ was just it, but it was the, it was the place for you. Well, it was something that felt comfortable. I mean, obviously, you know, the interest exam at the day. I don't know if you guys still do it was some sort of aptitude tests and obviously I scored well above whatever the level at the time was needed. And I guess interviewing me you know, bill Rowe and, and, and Larry Morgan and other faculty at the time you know, thought that I would be a good, you know addition to the TJ family, so to speak. So it was eight of us starting the first seventh grade class in 1980. It's fall of 1981, you know, I survived six years. Right. So I can wear that badge until the day I die. So
Matthew Troutman (03:55):
There you go. Yeah. I think that's important to highlight is that you were one of the first seventh graders at TJ and you were a boarding student at the throughout your career, right?
Art Vibulakaopun (04:06):
Five day boarding students. So got there had to be there for Sunday dinner. And then whenever, whoever was inspecting the rooms and Nancy pretty much Morgan did it my whole six years there. And occasionally she wouldn't even come to my room cause she knew it would be spotless freshman, ninth, grade, 10th grade, 11th grade. I ran a cleaning service where I would clean your room for $30. And I would list specifically what I would do for you to do laundry. Didn't fold laundry, didn't make beds. I would vacuum and clean your, your bathroom. That was it. Oh, wow.
Matthew Troutman (04:43):
How many takers did you have for this?
Art Vibulakaopun (04:46):
Okay. I probably once the, or I was done, I was busy until I left campus probably for at least two, three hours, such
Matthew Troutman (04:54):
A great idea. And I probably
Art Vibulakaopun (04:56):
Made like 120 to $150 each Friday. So I paid for my record collection and some other stuff. So yeah.
Matthew Troutman (05:06):
Yeah. I D I think that's a, that's a great idea. I don't know of any students that are offering that service. Nowadays
Art Vibulakaopun (05:12):
Obviously, you know Nancy Morgan was one who inspected the rooms for Friday night, so, or Friday afternoon. So those five day boarders could leave and also even for seven day borders, because in order for them to get off campus at the time Nancy had to say that their room was clean for the weekend. Obviously once she, you know, gave you the pass, your room can go back to the way it was until the next Friday. So yeah, pretty much. And so, you know Nancy knew that I, you know, always had a clean room in terms of what she was looking for.
Matthew Troutman (05:48):
Well, and, and also your, your customers had to have a room that they can look to to see
Art Vibulakaopun (05:53):
If I, if they didn't pass inspection, I would just have to come back and do what needed. And honestly, I wouldn't get paid until the room was past Nancy's inspections.
Matthew Troutman (06:01):
Well, I'm kind of curious, you spent a lot of time at TJ and you I'm sure have a number of stories. Is there anything that kind of stands out, maybe talk a little bit about your, your time at TJ?
Art Vibulakaopun (06:13):
Never really left home to go to school. So that was a tough transition there. That's where that, you know, junior class to graduate class 83 kind of comes in as a big influence of that. I was homesick. So a lot of them took me under their wings during the day kept me, you know, not thinking about it kind of taught me to TJ ropes. I never really took a class with Kevin Barnes, but Kevin every evening for like the first three or four weeks of my career TJ after dinner, I got my books, went to his he was on the backside of yellow sat at a table in his room, did my homework, and then, and we would talk or he would be doing his work, or if I needed help, I would, you know, he would help me out. So he was a big influence, even though I never took a class with Kevin. But he and I stayed in touch after I graduated. Cause he, he only was there for a year. And then he, I think, went and got either a master's or his law degree and was in Chicago when I was a freshman at university of Chicago. So he and I would get together and have dinners and drinks. So while I was up there in Chicago,
Matthew Troutman (07:25):
I mean, that's such a unique thing that I think happens at TJ where you can actually get that kind of help.
Art Vibulakaopun (07:31):
As I got older, as my turn to, you know, give back to the seventh, eighth and ninth graders, you know, it's just a nice evolving circle there at Thomas Jefferson, you know, you, you take and you give as much as you can.
Matthew Troutman (07:48):
Yeah. And I think that's, that really is something that stands out as unique at TJ and, and something we're, we're proud of. And it's I think really nice to hear that it w it goes back a long way that tradition of community culture and, and helping out each other and just looking out for the, the making sure we're pushing each other too, because I'm sure that the older students wouldn't let you stop doing your homework. If, if you wanted to take a break,
Art Vibulakaopun (08:14):
They also gave you ways on how to procrastinate that, you know, probably, I don't know if they still do to this day, but, you know, we had a lot more land back in my seventh grade year, the houses that you guys see now behind the soccer and tennis fields, the TJ camp, it used to go all the way to any park. So there was quite a bit of the original soccer field, more near the corner of robot and Eddie and park is where it was. So we actually had to, we would walk by where the tennis courts were and then a little bit of a wooded area. And then the soccer soccer field back Northeast corner was just overgrown and there were trails. Oh, nice. Yeah. So there, there, there are spots where people could go and hide out.
Matthew Troutman (09:03):
Sure. Yeah. And I'm sure do nothing, nothing wrong in those.
Art Vibulakaopun (09:07):
I just wanted to get away from the rest of campus. Yeah.
Matthew Troutman (09:12):
Well I'm kind of curious. So so after TJ you said you went to U Chicago I'm kind of curious if you could kind of paint a little bit of a picture of what that transition was like, given the background at TJ, and then what happened after, after you Chicago
Art Vibulakaopun (09:29):
Got into a couple of schools and decided to well, my initial choice was Washington university. I was just going to stay home nice and close. You know, campus is beautiful, honestly you know well rated school I would get in any type education wanted. And then I don't know how it happened, but Larry Morgan talked me into going to university of Chicago. Somehow he got me in, cause I was actually initially waitlisted. So some finagling, he got me in the TJ background help with that homework as well. It was, I thought I was smart, you know, being in the top three or four in my class at TJ because my graduate class at TJ was 15. We started with eight cause eighth grade, we jumped from eight to 13. And then by the time I graduated with 15,
Matthew Troutman (10:21):
Well, 15 is still big even by today's standards.
Art Vibulakaopun (10:25):
Yeah. TJ is very, you know, what time classes where you had to be in class on time, you had to turn in homework on time bedtimes in room times, obviously freshman year, more freedom than I really should have had. So but you know, the, the getting the homework done, getting the studying done that was just, you know, just carried over from Thomas Jefferson, the university of Chicago, but I did, I did not pay attention to my grades as much. And so I had to play catch up after my freshman year. So you know, one thing I had to do back over, I would definitely want my freshman year at, at whatever university I, you know, would, they would allow me to attend again when I was, if I go back in time when I was 18, I would definitely be sure to study and not party quite as much.
Matthew Troutman (11:24):
So then at Chicago, you had that, that first year where it was a little too much freedom as you said, or at least an adjustment to a new type of freedom.
Art Vibulakaopun (11:33):
Yeah. I mean, you definitely had to monitor yourself. You definitely you know, grades were, were important, even though I knew I was no longer the top fish in the pool. I was probably somewhere in the middle just because of the caliber of students at university of cargo. So, you know, it helped that you know that the group of friends I had developed at university of Chicago made sure to, you know, keep the competition level going. I mean, it, it, you know, even at timestamps and we got along, we help each other, but there's still that competitive level of you know, of course you guys don't do it these days, but my six years there, every quarter grades got put up onto the board also publicly you know, anyone with an 81 or higher got honors and honors got you privileges. And that's what you really were looking for.
Matthew Troutman (12:37):
We still have the privileges, but we don't post grades publicly. Yeah. That's the balance that I think we always want to strike is, is making sure that there's appropriate challenge, but also some supports for students, right? So it's not just a a free for all where who knows what, what impact it might have negatively to, to see some of these other, other grades, but, but that's where the advisor system, I think has really been been something that's, that's wonderful and, and helpful so that we can, we can have students kind of self motivate and, and find the challenge that's appropriate for them. And, and of course, you know, I think it would be silly of us to think that students don't share share their results with each other and use that as some competition.
Art Vibulakaopun (13:21):
I know when I was at TJ, you know, if any of my friends didn't do well, you know, it was, you would go up to and go, Hey, come, come to me if you need help.
Matthew Troutman (13:29):
Right. Right. So it's, it's not just an a competition. It's how do we, how do we use each other to really help improve as a group, right? Let's the rising tide sort of a metaphor there where I'm gonna, I saw that you may have struggled on this test or this quarter let's, let's work together next quarter so that we can, we can all improve on that.
Art Vibulakaopun (13:53):
No fun when your friend's not doing so well, you know, you'd like them to, to do the, at the best of their capabilities. And for most people, I, TJ just the fact that either they're no procrastinated too much or just don't know if their time management, it's not like they're not intelligent enough to do the work. It's just, you know, do they want to do to work? You know, at least that was my experience, you know, my six years there that those students that then make it a TJ was this because of the fact they didn't like doing the work or that they couldn't do the work. They just didn't like doing the work. So
Matthew Troutman (14:35):
I'm sure all of us have a little improvement we could do on time management and procrastination. For sure. So I'm kind of curious can you maybe share a little bit about post U Chicago what your career path wound? Yeah. So your career,
Art Vibulakaopun (14:52):
Career path, second semester you were in Chicago. I took a research position at the Pritzker medical school and the Pritzker hospital there on campus, which is part of our campus. It's a university of Chicago school of medicine, Pritzker school of medicine, as well as the Pritzker hospital. So not that I needed a job, but I thought it would be good cause I was going to be, or, or attempted to be a biology major at university of Chicago. I did not achieve that major because I could not understand biochemistry for the life of me, not until I came back to st. Louis and took it at slew as well as at OZO. Did I finally understand what biochemistry was? So I had to change majors at the end beginning of my junior year in order to make sure I would graduate.
Art Vibulakaopun (15:40):
And I actually graduated a semester early. So my final semester at university of Chicago, I was working full time as a research assistant in the department of pharmacology physiology. We were trying to find a cure for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. So I did that for my whole career undergrad. And then once I graduated, I did apply to medical schools and I got, I got wait-listed at every single one for a period of three years. So I gave up and I continued to do research there. And at night I would take classes at DePaul or at Northwestern university or at UIC just to get my GPA levels up and to keep myself proficient enough to take the AMCAP. Cause I did score decently in the M cat, which is the medical college aptitude tests that they still I believe give to this day. It's an eight hour test.
Art Vibulakaopun (16:40):
You get there at eight in the morning you get 45 minutes for lunch break and then you go back in the afternoon for another four hours. And then by the time you're done, all you want is a 12 pack of beer and some greasy food just to survive that. So I took the MCATs. So in summer of 94 dr. Hoffman, who was the head researcher and the director of the lab, I was in sat me down and goes you know, everyone called me art. My full name is RTDs. Most my loans will know. He goes, you're just too smart to be doing grunt work for me. I'm firing you. I go, okay, any reason he goes, I want you to go to grad school. So so I came back to st. Louis fall of 94 intent on improving my GPA and then also getting geared up to pursue a master's in biology wherever I could get in.
Art Vibulakaopun (17:48):
And during that time I'll say I didn't have a full load of classes. So I had a lot of free time. I didn't want to be a freeloader at my parents' house. So I went back to my old job at turtle country club just working the golf shop helping the program lessons. So merchandise and obviously playing golf in my free time. So that's been my hobby since I was four years old. The head pro took me out a couple of times we played and he goes, you should not be going to grad school. You should be going into a career in golf. So I said, well, let me do both at the same time. So I actually took classes up through 96. I was doing both. And then the golf career kind of took over and the going to grad school kind of went out the window. Right. so I became a golf professional professional golfer in the st. Louis area from 9,500 through 2001.
Matthew Troutman (18:55):
Is there I'm not sure if there isn't a, a connection, but is there anything in, in TJs background or in your background from TJ that helped helped you when you were a pro?
Art Vibulakaopun (19:08):
I think golf was what helped me survive. TJ more than TJ helped me become a better golfer because playing golf, at least the way I was taught was, you know, I learned the rules right away. I mean, I still read the rule book every year. That's the one book that I do read every year, if not multiple times a year. And so when TJ puts the rules in front of you, it's in black and white, but there's also the gray areas and the same thing in the rules of golf there, even though it's black and white, there are gray areas that they have to learn. You know, Larry Morgan, let me hit balls anywhere that I could, and I didn't break any windows. So that's, you know, I did that for my whole six years you know, hitting golf balls up and over blue house.
Art Vibulakaopun (19:54):
My, you know, my last two years there just to work on short game or right there between Gables and TJ just helped improved my understanding of the rules and also how to be more self-sufficient because in golf, you know, you're pretty much playing against yourself and the golf course. You have to be able to self analyze what your strengths and weaknesses are right now. I think at TJ, you definitely have to do that or learn how to do that as quickly as possible. So that one you can improve on your weaknesses and to still still strengthen your strengths at the same time, the fact that the student teacher ratio is what it is really makes it in my opinion, a lot easier to do so, so right.
Matthew Troutman (20:44):
Yeah. Cause I mean, you have all these teachers who know you really well and can certainly point out your strengths and things to work on and
Art Vibulakaopun (20:52):
Oh yeah. And they're not. And honestly, with the different, you know personalities amongst the faculty, obviously, you know, you're going to have a click moment with at least a couple of them, if not more. And then obviously some of them are not going to be able to explain things to you as clearly as some of those other ones, but hopefully the relationships amongst the faculty, they can talk and figure out how the, you know, speak your language. So to speak, to help you learn better at TJ. At least that's been my experience, you know, when I was there, so. Right,
Matthew Troutman (21:25):
Right. Well, I'm kinda curious. So we, we got you up to 2001. So, so since then, what have you been up to?
Art Vibulakaopun (21:34):
Well, 2001 to 2004, I actually quit being a golf professional. It was just too stressful in terms of time. You know, most people don't understand you know, as a golf professional, you really do not play that much golf. You're really taking at least my two years at a private country club. You really taking care of the membership. So I was putting in it could be anywhere from 60 to 70 hours a week during the summertime, so that didn't leave much time for life outside of the golf course. So I decided just to get out of that business. And so from 2001 until January, 2004 I pretty much was at home trading stocks on a daily basis because that was something that my parents taught myself and my brother at a very young age to do is how to manage our finances.
Art Vibulakaopun (22:34):
I bought my first my parents helped me and my brother buy our first stocks when we were like seven years old. So that was just something that was part of our upbringing. Part of your family culture in camp. Yeah. So I day traded for those four years and then a buddy of mine in June of Oh four goes, you know, asked me what I was doing. Of course he knew what I was doing. It was more rhetorical and go doing the same thing. And then he goes, well, I'm thinking about getting my real real estate license. I go, well, that sounds like fun. When you have fun at it, he goes, how about you joining me? And I go, sure, how much, you know, it was cheap enough. I figured, okay. You know, let's go see how, how tough real estate is.
Art Vibulakaopun (23:18):
So, so got my license took the course afterward, flying colors, you know, in the TJ manner took the entrance or took the license exam the first day, you know, scored a 98 out of 100 TJ fashion. And then so that was early August of Oh four. Finally placed my license with a company called Prudential select properties, which is now the same company, but we've now changed our franchise name to Berkshire Hathaway home services like property. So I've been a realtor since January of 2005. So that's what I've been doing for the last 15 years. Right.
Matthew Troutman (23:59):
Seen a lot. I'm sure in that time there's been a couple of, couple of ups and downs.
Art Vibulakaopun (24:05):
Every deal structurally is the same, but you're dealing with the personality of either the buyer, the seller. And I think being in the golf business for as long as I have, I've worked in a pro shop since I was eight years, seven or eight years old. You see a lot of golfers come through different personalities. Some that are really nice. Some that are really grumpy and angry you know, being also a psychology major from university of Chicago, that kind of help, you know, with my real estate, as well as when I was working in the golf mint as how to deal with those different personalities, you know, because you can't treat everyone the same way to get the results you want, kind of have to speak their language, so to speak and get the best out of them as you can as a realtor, because there are deadlines to be met, you have to educate them.
Art Vibulakaopun (24:59):
So I am an educator to my clients or what they need to do, because unless you do real estate every day, you really don't know what you're doing, which is why companies like Zillow and Trulia and other companies where they say, Oh yeah, you could sell your house on your own, you know, save on you know, what? You pay your realtor. Well, you can do that, but unless you do it every day, you're going to miss a step or two and it's going to cost you thousands of dollars. Sure. So, yeah, so I consider myself a, you know, an educator whenever I get a client, cause I got to educate them on what to do. Right. I also have to tell them these are your deadlines. So I'm almost like you met where a teacher, Hey, paper's due this day. Right. Or your assignments due to stay. Oh, to do it, what is it? One 30 or two? O'clock
Matthew Troutman (25:56):
It depends. I think most teachers actually have it at eight 30. Oh. In the morning. In the morning. Yeah. So they have alarm that's due overnight. You know,
Art Vibulakaopun (26:07):
Aw, that's too easy. We, we got out of lunch late last night. The last lunch was one and we had that Orn by too, but we only read I think anywhere from 10 to 30 pages at most. Okay.
Matthew Troutman (26:25):
I think that's pretty consistent now. I think it obviously depends on the grade. Depends on the course. Depends on the book. But generally that's the case, but yeah. Or is doing in the mornings and then teachers get all day to grade and then turn it back in the afternoon. Wow.
Art Vibulakaopun (26:45):
That's that? I did not know that. That's awesome.
Matthew Troutman (26:47):
I'm sorry to, to burst the bubble of
Art Vibulakaopun (26:51):
Now summer or, and holiday or it's still still deal. So I assume now we don't have to mail it in. They can just, digital is fine. Also this email, you know, a word doc or whatever, to their teacher. Yep.
Matthew Troutman (27:11):
Or a shared doc that just kind of keeps running a running document that, that both can contribute to it's. Yeah. It's a lot.
Art Vibulakaopun (27:21):
I still have my notebook somewhere. I think I digitally scan them, so right.
Matthew Troutman (27:26):
Yeah. I mean, it's a, it's a lot easier, I think for both teachers and students because they can, they can contribute to their document at any time. So teachers can grade when it's convenient for them and students can put it in when it's convenient for them.
Art Vibulakaopun (27:39):
Now that's back when I was there or contributed a small percentage to our quarterly grade. Is that still the case?
Matthew Troutman (27:48):
It's still the case. And again, it's a teacher and course dependent. Some courses are a little bit more or heavy. I think for example, mr. Roth with junior English, the first quarter is maybe ungraded or at least a portion of it. And, and so they get some time to practice and get to know him as a greater I think that's, that's pretty common that that happens. You've had a lot of experience with at TJ. And then after TJ, I'm curious if you were to talk to a current sophomore, so the 10th grader this is a student who's just about to start thinking about their impact on the world. But also really thinking about their time at TJ. They, they may have had one, two or three years of experience at TJ. If you were to offer some advice to a current sophomore, what would you, what would you tell them
Art Vibulakaopun (28:38):
For one, you know, do your best, try to get on honors lists. Obviously it's a little different, you know back then we wanted to get on the honors list because of our in room and bedtime obviously now in a digital world. It's, it's not that drastically important to me. Yeah.
Matthew Troutman (28:54):
It still feels, I think it still feels important to students. Yeah.
Art Vibulakaopun (28:57):
Yeah. You know, so, yeah. So I would do that then, you know, just start thinking of who do you look up to in terms of who you think you may want to be in the next two, three years, or next two years when you're starting to think about colleges, you know, where do you want to go? Obviously, I assume back in my day Larry Morgan would always bring representatives from variety of colleges and universities to come and, and talk to juniors and seniors. I actually a funny story. My seventh grade year, I was we have, you guys don't do it now, but we had tables where we a server at the table to go get the food from the kitchen and bring it in. So I happened to be at the one table where the Princeton representative was there and he liked me so much.
Art Vibulakaopun (29:53):
He actually invited me up that evening into the talk he was given to the juniors and seniors that year. And we kept up a relationship my whole six years there. I actually even applied to Princeton, got wait-listed obviously he didn't have as much pull as I thought he would. That was funny story, but I'll, I'll say, just figuring out who you look up to, you talk to the older students who are doing, going through the process. Obviously the process is a lot different now. A lot easier from what I've learned, you've got one application that you could send a lot of places, maybe different essays, but at least it's one application. While back in my day, it was literally a different application for each college you want to send. So it was a lot of writing and not really, we could we had our Apple computers, we could print out the essays our advisory over at, and then, yeah, just do your best, enjoy, you know, if you liked something, pursue it just make yourself look as best as you can.
Matthew Troutman (31:03):
I like the advice of looking up to, or finding the people you look up to and see what they're doing. Cause I think that that happens a lot unofficially at TJ where, you know, there's the, you are friends with people of multiple grades because it's a smaller community. And, and because of that, I think it was great to hear that, that in your experience, there were older students who kind of took you under their wings and, and then you did the same to pay it forward. And, and I think that the culture has continued to today where that still happens.
Art Vibulakaopun (31:35):
It sounds like, and that's awesome to hear. I mean, it, you really do, in my opinion, learn a lot from those who have gone through an experience ahead of you, you know can kind of give you a heads up or, or at least a rough roadmap on how to navigate your way through a particular issue or how to get to a destination. Like if you wanted to, you know be a doctor, okay, this is what you need to do. You need to be heavy in sciences, do some research you know, maybe intern with a doctor, if you can whether it be just to learn the ins and outs and what a medical profession looks like, stuff like that. Or if you want to be a lawyer that route, or if you want to, you know, be an entrepreneur, okay, how do I start up? I've got this idea. How do I get it implemented? So stuff like that, if you can get a rough roadmap, it makes your journey a bit easier, maybe a little bit more successful, and then hopefully down the road, you can pass what you learned to another generation.
Matthew Troutman (32:47):
I have some quick questions for you. I was wondering if I could go through a few rapid fire questions. So looking back, what was your favorite TJ meal or a single dish?
Art Vibulakaopun (32:57):
I'll give you two very fried chicken and mashed potatoes and her hot fudge pudding. I believe I do have her hot fudge putting recipes somewhere.
Matthew Troutman (33:07):
Ooh, that would be worth sharing. Let me know if you can, if you find that, please send it along and we'll share it out for sure. Okay. Is there a memorable teacher that stands out to you that had a big impact?
Art Vibulakaopun (33:18):
That, that was a hard question when I saw that because every, you know, every faculty member, not every 5 million, a lot of them had an influence on, on, on me each and every different year. So I would start with Kevin Barnes, Ken Colston, bill Rowe, Mike Girardi would probably be, you know, the teachers I would think had most influence and, and a lot of them were my advisors bill and Mike PRD were my advisors. So nice. Yeah.
Matthew Troutman (33:49):
Is there anybody that you'd like to apologize to?
Art Vibulakaopun (33:53):
Not that I can think of, not that I can think of. I don't think I ruffled any feathers. I wasn't really part of any cliques. I kind of roam around my six years. Everyone was friends with me or I was friends with them. I mean at least that's my impression of what I can remember of that time there. So no, but if someone needs me to apologize to them, let me know. I'm more than happy to do so, you know, you know, from the bottom of my heart. So
Matthew Troutman (34:21):
There you go. Do you have a favorite book from the TJ curriculum?
Art Vibulakaopun (34:26):
To kind of amount of crystal and crime and punishment.
Matthew Troutman (34:30):
Oh, wow. Count of Monte Cristo still lives live strong today. It is I believe the senior English or both currently this year kind of moves around a little bit crime and punishment. I don't know if it's still part of the curriculum. But, but that's worth worth mentioning to mr. Razzi if as our English department chair CFE.
Art Vibulakaopun (34:51):
Yeah. I mean even after I graduated TJ, I read those two books every year for at least another 10 years. But I have not read those books in quite a while, so I might have to go dig up the Kindle version and put it on my Kindle to read
Matthew Troutman (35:06):
Speaking of of other books. Is there a book that you've read recently that stands out
Art Vibulakaopun (35:12):
Right now? I do read a lot, but it's mainly mysteries fiction. Couple writers I follow are more of the spy, Vince Flynn Brad Thor Nicholas Sparks, I follow.
Matthew Troutman (35:28):
And this is kind of a tough question. What, which dorm is the best and using one word you get to describe why say it's the best
Art Vibulakaopun (35:38):
Blue house? Privacy
Matthew Troutman (35:41):
You've mentioned a few, but is there any other TJ person you want to give a shout out to, or, or mention?
Art Vibulakaopun (35:48):
I would like to see some of my classmates. So if Chris Matthews ever hears this or I ringing you know please reach out, like to know what you guys have been doing.
Matthew Troutman (35:59):
Well, that leads into the next question. If, if people do want to reach out to you, how can they find you?
Art Vibulakaopun (36:04):
Yeah. My website has all my contact info. It's art.realtor, and my email addresses a VB lockbourne@bhhsselectselectstl.com. And honestly, if you go to the website, our.realtor, you'll find all that info, which out I'm on social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.
Matthew Troutman (36:29):
Oh, I'll make sure that it's also in some notes. And if anybody wants to get that information, we can, we can provide it for sure. So I just have one final question for you. And that is today. How do you live the mission of TJ by lifting up the world with beauty and intellect?
Art Vibulakaopun (36:48):
I treat my clients with utmost respect because they are trying to find a new home also pitching and volunteer are charities that I like to give back to. You are sunshine kids, which is a nonprofit organization for kids with cancer, where they take kids from hospitals and try to make them feel like kids by taking them to trips like the zoo, what Disney world, Washington, DC, New York, or a Broadway show, or, or to Vail or Aspen to go skiing. I also like to give back to American cancer society cause I've had some friends and relatives, honestly, all of us have been touched by cancer. So try to get back to that as well as the ALS amyotrophic lateral sclerosis society cause ALS is just a horrible disease that once you get it, there's no cure. You're just pretty much taking treatments just to prolong your life. It just literally eats you from the inside out that you are, you know, it just obliterate you. It's just a disease that really should get more funding because a lot of people are affected by it. So those are the three charities I like to give back to in a TJ fashion. So
Matthew Troutman (38:13):
I think that's a good place to end things are thank you for your time this afternoon.
Art Vibulakaopun (38:18):
Oh love doing it. So hopefully someone enjoys it down the road, so I'm sure they will.
Matthew Troutman (38:26):
Yeah. Thanks again.
Art Vibulakaopun (38:28):
You're welcome.
Matthew Troutman (38:30):
If you'd like more information about TJ, please go to TJ S dot or you can find us on social media. Look for Thomas Jefferson school on Facebook or TJ underscore S T L on Instagram. If you want to help by contributing to TJ to help support us in delivering our mission or to bring more conversations like this one, go to T J s.org/giving. If you know, an alumna or alumnus who would be interested in participating in this conversation series or know somebody who should be please reach out to me at mtroutman@tjs.org.
Art Vibulakaopun (39:10):
I think one of the girls was trying to make coffee. She dumped a whole bag of grounds in the middle of the bathroom floor and then clean it up and it solidified it. It was like a coffee caffeine. It was a slag from the ground, literally, probably almost 10 inches tall. And we literally had to take a hot pot of hot water and we probably boiled 50 to 60 pots of water just to, to state that we could mop up with towels. So it was still ag might have coffee. Yes. That was on the ground that you had to boil down to make coffee, to be able to clean it. Yes, it's impressive. Yes.