First of all a little about me. I'm 77, soon to be 78. My parents wanted me to become a medical wizard, but I didn't; I was fascinated by the rudimentary computers of the late 1940s and early 1950s. As soon as I turned 18, I dropped out of college and joined the Air Force (for one year of active duty plus four years of reserve) because they were starting to use advanced computational equipment. WELL…. Korea came and I ended up serving for four years, three months and nineteen days. During this time I was fortunate enough to be selected for six months of advanced training by IBM in Endicott, NY, so that I and 20 other Airmen like me could work on IBM equipment in locations too secret or too dangerous to maintain. IBM engineers. .I have learned a lot, seen a lot and matured a lot. Of course, after my discharge I applied to IBM for a job, but we couldn't come to terms. Since I had three years of hands-on experience plus those six months of training, I felt I was worth $400 a month. They thought $350 would be a good starting salary. Over the next few months I bounced around the local (Boston) accounting plants with punch cards a bit, then applied to ARAMCO (Arabian American Oil Company) to work overseas. Wonderful experience – I spent a few months in Lebanon learning the language and customs of the Middle East, then a year in Saudi Arabia in Dhahran on the Persian Gulf. In those days Americans were loved and respected all over the world. Maybe we will be back under the new administration again soon. But I digress. After my contract in Saudi Arabia expired I was on my way to Lima, Peru via a 30 day vacation at my mother's house near Boston. She was not at all happy to listen to my plans and spent most of our time at...... middle of paper......aire, then divorced him and returned. We had wonderful times together wherever we went. She passed away completely unexpectedly last Good Friday, March 21, 2008, after 10 days in a coma in intensive care and I am ready to move on with what remains of my life. I have a 9 year old Schipperke who is still as lively as me, although COPD has slowed me down a bit. Today I live very modestly in a small retirement community in Winter Haven, Florida. Now my days are filled with music, photography, reading, backgammon, billiards, etc. I am an avid watcher of TV, movies, history, news, sports and politics. I also assemble and sell miniature books, trunks, etc. . for dollhouse makers. I quit smoking a few months ago, but I still enjoy a drink or two in the evening. This is really too much for me, now some thoughts about you.-