Life’s Curveballs

I was out on the Internet reading other blogs and came across something that I never heard of called, Meme. I found this on a couple blogs and the one where I received the most insight was called KS Born where it is explained …

Meme is like a chain letter game, something we can relate to chain post cards that existed in olden times. I am to tell you “7 things about me that you might not know.” Then at the end of it, I tag 7 others, in order for them to carry on with the game and pass it on to others.

My main problem is that this blog is so new that I haven’t developed a readership yet so I can’t select 7 people to play the game. If you have a blog and would like to play let me know so that I can post a link to your site.

My Saturday Seven

1. Name one strange thing that you did during your youth.

I was somewhat of a daredevil. As a teenager I did many crazy things, I guess most of us do. This is only one story of many. Near our home, there were two very steep hills on the road in front of our house. Someone dared me to go down the hills in a baby buggy and I took them up on the dare. It was a very thrilling ride until I arrived at the bottom; I escaped with just a few scrapes and bruises and was lucky.

2. Who is your best friend?

My wife and I have been best friends since the moment we met. My wife and I met in high school and we have known each other for 38 years. We have been married for almost 36 years and she is still my best friend.

3. What places have you lived that were unique?

I spent a year in Sardinia, Italy. I was stationed at Decimomannu AB, Sardinia, Italy from April 1978 until April 1979. When I arrived at the NATO Air Base there were no Americans stationed at the base. I was part of a 7 man advanced team that would ready the base for the larger contingent of Americans to arrive in 1979. It was a unique assignment and I was assigned the duties of Customs Officer and worked with local Italian customs officials to clear everything for the new Advanced Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) range into Sardinia.

4. What is your best-kept secret?

While in the Air Force, I had a secret. Late in 1981, Air Force assignments called me and asked if I would take a special duty assignment. They told me that they could not tell me anything about it because it was classified. I would be stationed at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas Nevada but that’s all they could say. I took the assignment and spent the next four years flying back and forth to work not even able to tell my wife where I was going. I flew to the range on Monday, came home on Thursday, and I did this for four years. My wife never knew where I went during my 4-year assignment but since then the program has been declassified.

5. Whom do you most miss that you have lost contact?

I miss my parents. My parents are both gone now and I still miss my mother because she was taken from us too earlier. She died in 1977 at the age of 56. My Dad was very personal and I never knew him until the end of his life for he would never let me inside. He died after kidney failure brought on by diabetes and refused dialysis. He suffered a long anguished death and all I could do was watch. He’s been gone since 1997 and I’m glad I had the chance to get to know him better.

6. What place have you visited that you never thought you would?

I visited the place where my father was wounded during World War II. My father was a paratrooper in the 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment (GIR) company B, 17th Airborne Division, during World War II, and was wounded on January 5, 1945 during the Battle of the Bulge. I visited the aid station in February 1998, the same place where my father was taken on that day in 1945. I created a website about my visit to Bastogne.

7. Do you prefer people or animals?

I prefer dogs to most people. You know where you stand with most every dog as soon as you meet them. They either like you or they don’t and there is very little guesswork involved. I am happy to say that 99.9% of the dogs that I’ve come into contact with have liked me, and believe me I’ve come into contact with a lot of dogs. I’ve been seriously training dogs for the last 7 years and I can’t remember at time in my life that I haven’t had a dog.