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I was born and raised in Milwaukee Wisconsin. My father was run over and killed by a drunk in 1947, (by the deputy mayor) so we were always short of money but not love. We were very poor but I never knew that.  I lived in a neighborhood where two houses to the East was a large Cemetery, to the South in back of our home was a railroad switching yard and 10 houses West was the city dump.  They were all fun to play in and I felt those were great places to play, and they were. I had lots of aunts and uncles and the finest Irish mother in the world. My mother had 12 siblings and my father had 10 (mostly in Wisconsin and some in North Dakota). What I remember most is being awaken at 4:30am on my 12th birthday (1956) and having my mother informed me I was now old enough to work and help support the family.  She told me that she had signed me up to deliver the Milwaukee Sentinel everyday at 4:30-5:30am. I continued to working till I was forced into retirement in December of 1992 when MDC went out of business. Then like other computer managers I was transferred involuntarily to IBM/ISSC. I became the LSO (Lan Security Officer) for ISSC's computer network and setup the IHD (Integrated Help desk) for classified systems providing customer support with network and computer training for personnel. I was also in charge of auditing customer accounts to "make sure we were not undercharging any customers". Unfortunately due to an over active honesty gene, IBM/ISSC terminated me after I reported numerous over charges. One was for over charging a MDC customers 1.5 million. This was after they told me to "ignore it" or else since I was to find under charges NOT over charges. IBM did pay for that mistake and I did ok. ISSC however lost their contract with MDS/Boeing within a year and disappeared from view. While at MDC and ISSC I was paid so well, so very well, I occasionally have flashbacks about what if I had kept my mouth shut?  But you are either an honest God fearing person or not, there is no in between! 
   Here is a brief listing of my work life, omitting only the part time teaching I did at local colleges, universities, the VIP program at MDC, and training as part of my job. I also did a  2 1/2 year period as a substitute teacher in the Hazelwood school system, I quit!. I have nothing but praise for the full time teachers but worry about the school environment for the students.  I know the above sounds impossible but thanks to my mother I have always been a 24/7 person who never worked less than an 80 hour week. Not to mention my work with inner city students, Explorer Scouts and the Junior Achievement programs as well as two years a volunteer with the Battered Women's group in St. Charles.

WELL, one way to know me is from where I have worked. Here are fourteen locations I worked till they usually went out of business, in chronological order. NOTE: Being an engineer I was paid well when they wanted me, with interest free "Bridge loans", incentives and bonuses, and dumped when projects failed or ended. This is the life of an engineer in nuclear and conventional medicine and later in weaponry (Missiles, fire control, bombing tactics and navigation F4C&D and B52, Harpoon and Tomahawk Missiles computing and briefly logistics for the Space Shuttle. I also had the distinct privilege of setting up the first real worldwide computer internet communications for MDC within Logistics. One humorous note, I was forced to abandon the 3,000,000 baud communications link I set up with our European customers until McAuto said the 1200baud protocol was the company standard and I had to dismantle my VAX system, which "they invented" 4 years later. The political world of MDC with its arrogance and rule centered nature, rather than being customer quality output oriented, led to their downfall. Well here is a brief listing of the fourteen paying jobs I have had in my life:    
1. Newspaper boy for 4 years (age 12-16-1956-60 until I could get a regular work permit and get a higher paying 85 cent/hr job)
2. Bouncer/doorman at the Layton Part theater for about 20 months till I graduated from HS and joined the USAF.      
3. USAF GEEIA squadron (Ground Electronics Installation Agency) doing Engineering Installations worldwide (central USA, Germany, England, Greece & Turkey) (the engineer squadron was deactivated and we were all scheduled to be sent to Vietnam, my re-enlistment papers were "lost" by a lazy Lieutenant and I decided not to reenlist after my 4 year tour)        
4. Magnavox doing field artillery computer repair (for 2 years till they went out) of business)
5. Nuclear Chicago in Arlington Heights as an engineering tech (about 2.5 years-left to continue education) (I went to night school and got my assoc in Electronic Engineering-then U of I for a BS in Business Administration majoring in Marketing)           
6. I was offered a Teaching Assistant and became  a Computer Laboratory Monitor at the U of I when on the mid-term and  final I was the only student in a class of about 1000 to ace the mid-term and final 4 hour exam.  
7. Worked for the DOD (Dept. of Defense) for 10 years teaching Computerized Bombing Tactics and Navigation for the F4C, D & E and the B-52 and was responsible for curriculum development in I.S.M.D. (till they closed the airbase & accentually went out of business)          
8. Went to Ohio Medical and setup their new Medical Computer Training department and supported 135 techs nationwide for 3.5 years (till they went out of business)          
9. I was hired by McDonnell Douglas for about 12 years to develop Computer Simulation software for the Harpoon 12D7 missile and later was allotted 1.5 million to modernize and computerize MDC's computer systems departments and provide training. The things I did in the late 80's was leading edge then but pales in comparison with what is common place now days. I spent the last 2.5 years in a Hotpot Director Training position working in every department within our company, doing almost every job to develop Management skills (unfortunately MDC went out of business)               
10. When MDC went out of business, I was transferred involuntarily to IBM'S ISSC branch to develop a relatively new industry call IHD (Integrated Help Desk) for nationwide computer support for MDC and later BOEING. IBM/ISSC did not want us management grade transferees and 95% were gone within 1 year, I lasted over 2 years
11. I retired and for about 6 years I had several part time nothing jobs.    
12. I worked at EDS (Electronic Data Systems-Ross Perot's old company) for 3 years and left to teach part time at SLCC thanks in part to the then president Ken Beck.  
13. St Louis Christian College for 3 years and now
14. I am currently teaching part time at the University of Phoenix           

THAT IT FOR NOW,  BUT I HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND EDIT/PROOF READ THIS SOMEDAY.

But I have to mention the high point of my life is my wonderful wife of 43 years and God's blessing of two wonderful daughters, Laura Lynn and Dawn Marie.

Here is a listing of several places I have traveled to in the last few years.  Several short trips to Branson and Turkey Run in Marshal Indiana (my favorite places) have been omitted.

	Month Year	Day(s)	Location	Who
1	Oct 2008	14-21	Fall Leaf Trip	Terry-Gin
2	Aug 2008		France	Dawn
3	Sept 2008	29-30	Burlington & San Antonia	Gin-Dawn
4	Aug 2008		France	Dawn
5	Aug 2008	27	Holiday World -Santa Clause IN	Gin-Dawn-Ron
6	Aug 2008	6-16	France-Versai	Terry-Gin
7	Jul-Aug 2008	28-6	Maui	Terry-Gin
8	Mar 2008	14-15	Providence/Newport RI	Gin-Dawn
9	Feb 2008	21-23	San Diego	Gin-Terry
10	Feb 2008	17-21	Amsterdam Netherlands	Gin-Terry
11	Feb 2008	3-5	Portland Maine	Gin-Terry meet Dawn
12	Dec-Jan 2008	28-1	Cozamel Carnaval	Gin-Terry
13	Oct 2007	5-12.	Playa Del Carmen	Gin-Terry/Dawn-Jackie
14	Sept-Oct 2007	29-1	Branson Camping	Gin-Terry-Dawn-Ron
15	Sept 2007	20-23	Myrtle Beach	Gin-Terry
16	Sept 2007	16-19	Charleston-Hilton Head	Gin-Terry
17	Sept 2007	11-12	Branson -Drive hotel	Gin-Terry-Ron
18	Sept 2007	3-13	Paris	Dawn
19	Aug 2007	18-19	Lake Carlyle	Gin-Terry
20	June 2007	20-24	San Antonia	Gin-Terry
21	May 2007	30-3	Holland-Amsterdam	Dawn
22	1-Apr-07	1-8	Australia	Terry-Gin
23	Feb 2007	23-27	Gin Playa Del Carmen	Gin
24	Jan 2007	7-10	Dawn Playa Del Carmen	Dawn
25	Jan 22, 2007	22-29	Texas	Gin-Terry-Ron
26	Nov 2006	06-10	LasVegas	Gin-Terry
27	Oct 2006	6-10	San Francisco-Alcatraz	Gin-Dawn
28	Sept 2006		Golden Colorado	Terry
29	Jul-Aug 2006	29-8	Cozumel -Vista del Mar	Gin-Terry
30	Jun 2006	29-	Expedia    --- forgot  ---	Gin-Terry
31	Jun 2006	20-	Worry free    --- forgot  ---	Gin-Terry
32	Jun  2006	26-Jan-00	Branson	Gin-Terry-Ron
33	May 2006	23-Jan-00	Switzerland/Germany/France/Lict.	Gin-Terry
34	Oct-Nov 2005		Kitrina & Wilma	Hurricanes
35	Sept 2005	1-9	Florida Keys	Gin-Terry
36	Jan 2005	11-May-08	Cozumel	Gin-Terry-Dawn-Laura
37	Dec 2004		Cozumel-Dawn move	Dawn
38	Sept 2004		Tex trip all over	Gin-Terry-Ron
39	Aug 2004		Cozumel -Dawn	Dawn
40	Jun 2004		Cozumel Laura Move	Terry
41	Jul 2004		Cozumel Laura Move	Terry-Laura
42	Aug 2003		Mex Robinson Club-Tulum-1st Dwn	Gin-Terry-Dawn-Laura
43	May 2003		Cancun-Ambiance	Gin-Terry
44	Oct 2002		Daytona-Disney	Gin-Terry
45	Jun 2002		Las Vegas	Gin-Terry
46	Dec 2001		Branson Fishing	Gin-Terry-Dawn&Cullen
47	Oct 2001		Cancun  (post 911)	Gin-Terry
48	Sept 2001		Wood Smoke 2	Gin-Terry
49	Jun 2001		Hawaii	Gin-Terry
50	Oct 2000		Ikea	Gin-Terry-Dawn-Ron
51	Aug 2000		Wood Smoke 1	Gin-Terry
52	Dec 99	23-03	Fairfield Branson -Andy Williams	Gin-Terry-Ron
53	Sep 99	13-Apr-08	Fairfield Ocean Ridge	Gin-Terry
54	Jul 99	24-27	Fairfield Bay Ark	Gin-Terry
55	Jul 99	5-Mar-08	Arch Radisson-	Gin-Terry-Ron
56	Jun 99	26-28	Chicago-Mus,art,Heit	Gin-Terry-Ron
57	Dec 1998	23-24	Ft Myers /Sarasota/Biloxi	Gin-Terry-Ron
58	Dec 1998	20-22	Orlando /Burglary	Gin-Terry-Ron
59	Apr 1990		Cancun - Laura's first	Laura-Terry
60	Jul 1989		Casa de Campo	Gin-Terry-Dawn