10/31/06
Can't believe it's been 40 yrs and I'm knocking hard on
60! I'm even a grandfather of twins! Was there a 40th
reunion? I attended the 20th, but missed #30.
Even though I was at Awalt for only 2 yrs, I made some
good friends and still have fond memories (well they're
not all fond!) of that time. After graduation, I went
to UCB, but was lonely, unhappy and disillusioned what
with the war, the draft, etc. I dropped out after a
year and a half and spent almost the next 20 yrs as a
woodworker designing and building, ultimately ending
with a small cabinet and fine furniture making business.
Career #2 began with taking some classes at local jc's.
I swam for Laney College and also on a Master's team in
Berkeley for many years where I met my wife, Marcia. I
returned to UCB, but instead of studying architecture
as everyone thought I would, I got a degree in
molecular biology. This led to some interesting work
including electron microscopy, work on the Human Genome
Project, some cancer research and looking for genes
that may be involved in alcoholism.
Career #3 was a radical departure into the automotive
world. I bought a dynamometer with which I can measure
a car's performance, tune them (usually for max power)
and test various devices I design and build. I do quite
a bit of computer simulation of airflow over car bodies
and through intake and exhaust systems. I'm currently
building an engine that will reside in a Porsche to
challenge the 253 mph speed posted by the Bugatti
Veyron. I'm also working with a friend to form a
company that will do automotive R&D, build race cars
for ourselves and customers, experiment with new
materials and processes, etc. Also working on several
ideas that might even make some money!!
And now there's a concurrent career that grew out of my
wife having a stroke last year. It has been a brutally
difficult and sad year and a half and our lives have
changed dramatically. Marcia is recovering slowly,
having progressed from not being able to sit upright to
walking (with some assistance still). We're working
very hard to bring more life back to her left arm and
hand. Due to some major deficiencies in the Kaiser
system, I've had to manage Marcia's recovery and learn
a great deal about physical and occupational therapy.
I've also made hand splints since there are so few
decent ones available comercially. My heart has been
torn apart from the devastation I've seen in Marcia's
life and the lives of many other stroke victims I've
met. To see someone go from "normal" function to
paralysis and mental impairment overnight is just
incomprehensible to me. As a result, I'm considering
getting a PT degree in hope of helping some of these
folks recover what was so suddenly and cruelly stolen
from them.
I see Steve Kessler periodically at the Berkeley Bowl
Market. I've wondered what happened to some of my other
chums, Jon Nelson (glad to see he's on the list), Linda
Lee, Robbie Halstrom, Pete Rowe, Dave Hargrove, Bill
Greene, John Hottendorf, Fred Klein, Diane McLoughlin,
Judy Moore, Barry Smith, Bob Sproule, my old doubles
partner Dave Trowbridge, Chuck Wade... Looking through
my musky old yearbook I was surprised at how many
claassmates I did not know.
It would be wonderful if a reunion were to magically
happen!