 |
 I
was born at the victorious end of World War II, and
grew up in a time of great optimism and boundless enthusiasm.
I cannot remember a time when I was not fascinated by
things astronomical.
I
always had wanted to be a scientist. In high school
in the early 1960s I started learning about computers,
when such things filled rooms with vacuum tubes and
were programmed by rewiring circuits. I graduated from
Michigan State University in 1967 with a Bachelor of
Science degree, and immediately went on duty in the
U. S. Army as... a medical supply officer. Although
my scientific career was sidelined, my curiosity and
love for technology were not diminished. I took an electronics
course and built my own color television set, oscilloscope,
and digital multimeter. I continued to read extensively
about computers, science, and technology, and devoured
science fiction. After twelve years on active duty I
went to graduate school and earned a Masters degree
in radio and television broadcasting. I went to work
in the fledgling cable TV industry in 1981, and shortly
thereafter was instrumental in computerizing our videotape
scheduling on the mainframe.
Along
the way I married my college sweetheart in 1970, and
raised five children, three girls and two boys, who
today are making their own contributions to society.
My youngest son is in his fourth year of college, majoring
in mathematics. The other four are married, and have
careers and children of their own. My wife works at
the public library, so I have home delivery of any book
I ask for.
As
a young lieutenant at an Army post in Texas, I was a
Boy Scout leader for about two years. After my Army
career, having settled in Virginia Beach, I became a
leader in another organization for boys, as a Royal
Rangers commander. I have seen both of my sons earn
the Gold Medal of Achievement, the Royal Rangers' equivalent
of the Eagle Scout award. I have now been a Royal Rangers
leader for more than sixteen years, the last four of
which I have been on the local Tidewater South area
staff, encouraging and facilitating more than twenty
local Royal Rangers outposts in the Hampton Roads area.
Now that my own children are grown, and grandchildren
are becoming a reality, I have been able to indulge
my scientific curiosity once again, in amateur astronomy.
I joined a local club, the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers
(BBAA), subscribed to Astronomy, Sky and Telescope,
and Amateur Astronomy magazines, and bought a
telescope. At every opportunity I am gazing at the stars
or observing the moon or the planets. I enjoy sharing
my love of the skies with others, which I have been
able to do through the BBAA's public events.
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