More about me

Just so you know whose random thoughts you're reading, here's a five-minute history of the author.

Born near Philly shortly before JFK was elected Pres, in a hospital, not a taxi. Moved to New York, the rural Upstate part (not the Big Apple part), when I was a wee lad. Grew up in a very small town, nick-named "Sulfur Springs," in the Finger Lakes region. Hence, my high school was called Midlakes. Mom and Dad, me and two sisters/one brother lived in a thousand-square-foot ranch house on a quiet village street. Dad still lives there today; seems much bigger now than it did back then. I had a girlfriend when I was six, and clueless!

Went to school, got good grades, worked part-time, tried Track. Went to Prom a couple times, different girls, different years. Had a good dog who ran into the side of a too-fast car one day. He died, we cried. Graduated top five percent of my class, still clueless. Went to Community College, got a better part-time job, bought a couple different crappy used cars. Got an even better part-time job and let that one take up way too many hours. Put in my two years at the CC and turned my PT job to FT. Met some wonderful folks, made a bit of money, bought my first new car (Dodge Rampage, go figure...), moved out of the family home at last.

Met a great girl in high school and let her get away (my bad). Met another fine lady in college, but she moved away without me (ah well). Met the girl who become my very first wife on an amazing bicycle tour of the Finger Lakes just a little while later. Tried small construction and big construction, built a couple houses and made some new friends. Our friends started to have kids, and after a few years of leisure, so did we. Moved a couple times, right in the area. Tried a job in Industry. Loved the people and hated the hours. Built a big ol' house for ourselves just before my oldest son was born. The boys are more than half-grown now, living with their mom for most of the days.

Turned forty, got a bit stupid, met a girl I shouldn't have met, moved out and moved on -- had myself a mid-life divorce. Found a truly kind, sweet, loving, delightful soulmate in a new place and began a partly-new life with her and her daughter. Got better at the job I already had. Tried desperately to spend as much time as possible with my two boys. Miss them every minute they aren't here with us. Fixed-up our place, did some traveling, bought a camper-trailer, had a spectacular summer here in upstate NY. Thinking about buying a house. The place I work for is going to close down, so more change is coming soon.

Left out about a million things large and small, but got the gist of it down. Onward from here.