My First Computer

 I remember my first computer. I purchased it from OfficeMax for about $300. November 1998. Fargo, ND. Packard Bell with 32 MB RAM.

Welcome Back

 Shazaam! Found this dusty old blog in the attic and decided I now have time to pick up where I left off...which was basically nowhere anyway. If you're a new visitor, Welcome! I hope you find my blog interesting enough to add it to your favorites and follow along. If you find me slacking and not keeping p this time, I encourage to to contact me and give me a little boot in the bootie to add more memories.

This is me

 This is me

I’ve been to a lot of places and done a lot of things.  I’ve done just about every kind of illicit drug you can imagine. Drank myself into stupor and woke up in places totally unfamiliar to me. I ran away from home at 17, traveled with a carnival, nearly killed in a motorcycle accident, and hitch-hiked to the west coast and back twice. I’ve lived in 6 different states, worked countless jobs, and been unemployed and homeless living in the basement of a church at one time and the kitchen floor of a crack house another. I’ve met and conversed people rich enough to pay off a portion of our nation’s debt and others so poor, a couple coins put in the palm of their hand brought a gleam to their eyes. I spent 24 years driving some of the nicest looking big rig trucks and hauled loads large enough that others move out of my way. I’ve driven to virtually every major city in the continental USA, on every mile of every interstate and most US highways. I’ve been overseas to Japan and Philippines, married and divorced twice, did my time in the military and in jail, and logged nearly 400 skydives. I’ve had so many bumps and bruises and broken bones and had so many lacerations sewn up with so many stitches, that it’s a wonder I’m still alive. I made a major career change at 47 years old, went back to college, made the president’s list and wound up where I am today.

Regrets you ask? I’m certainly not proud of some of the things I’ve done in my life and the regrets I have are few.  I’ve done a lot of stupid things. Some may say I wasted a good part of my life doing stupid things. But those ‘stupid’ things made me who I am today and brought me to this place in time. God was patient with me and has forgiven me for the poor choices I made and has blessed me with a new wonderful life. Today, I have more riches than most. I pinch pennies to make ends meet, wear socks with holes in them, buy my clothes at the thrift store and wear the same pair of shoes 7 days a week. But I have 2 of the greatest boys on earth who are responsible and respectful and I am proud to call them both my sons. My aches and pains are a consequence of my past and a constant reminder I’ll never be as young as I once was. I now admit my time is limited and will need to slow down to soak in what few memories I can find. My future is much shorter now and the end is in sight. But now I feel fulfilled knowing I have a legacy to be proud of, that will follow me.

Cleaning the Basement

Yesterday, I had my 9 year old son help me clean the basement - partly as punishment for putting play ahead of his responibilities, partly as an educational experience, and partly for bonding time with me. Of course he didn't want to do it and frequently would ask if we are almost done. He learned (I believe) that (1)responibilities do come before play, (2)never to piss dad off, (3)just because he has never done something does not mean he is unable to do it, and (4)that hard work does have its rewards. It reminded me of when I was his age and how much I hated it when my dad would volunteer me to help him clean the basement or garage. My dad was so nit-picky. "A place for everything and everything in its place" was one of his adages that I will always remember and live by. He was so neat and organized and fussy about every corner and every speck of dirt swept and organizing everything and making a "home" for it. He also would frequently say, "If you use something, put it back where you got it. Then you'll always know where to find it next time." The task would take an entire afternoon and spoil my time for fun and play.

Valuable Top-Secret Load

I did a lot of hitchhiking back in the 70's when I was much younger. It was the thing to do in those days. I remember hitchhiking west on I-80 and reached the I-80/I-76 split west of Ogallala, NE. about sunset. I jumped a nearby farm fence and hiked a ways back into the grassland to set up camp for the night. Got my little camp fire started when another hitchhiker showed up asking if he could share camp with me for the night. "Sure", I said. The rest of the night was uneventful. Small talk then into the sleeping bag to sleep. I woke up at sunrise the next morning - I'm guessing around 5:30-6:00. Packed up my gear and started hiking back towards the interstate when I saw a large military semi-truck with jeeps and personnel carriers in front and behind it and a helicopter flying overhead. To this day, I wonder what was so valuable/secret that it required that much protection and security.