100 Things About Mee

Just to join the trend –where it came from, I know not – here are my hunnerd things about me.

1. I was born on April 5, 1945.
2. I was born in Monte Sano Hospital, in Los Angeles, California. (really!)
3 My natural father was of Yugoslavian descent.
4. My mother’s mother was born in 1899.
5. She died in 2001.
6. Yep, she was 102 years old.
7. I had a horrible nightmare when I was about three years old.
8. I still remember that dream to this day.
9. I went to Anatola Elementary School in Reseda, California.
10. Then I went to Reseda Elementary School, in Reseda, California.
11. Then I went to another elementary school, of which I have forgotten the name.
12. I failed sixth grade and had to take it over again.
13. I re-took sixth grade at Citrus Heights Elementary School.
14. I lived with my grandmother for 9 months while attending this school.
15. My teacher at Citrus Heights Elementary School was Mr. Talifer.
16. He was one of the best teachers I ever had.
17. The reason I failed sixth grade was because my parents were getting a divorce.
18. My natural father was a make-up artist.
19. A make-up artist is the person that applies make-up to movie actors.
20. My father worked with many famous people.
21. Clark Gable was one of them.
22. I met Clark Gable when I was 13.
23. I used to like Elvis Presley.
24. I bought almost all of his records. (this was WAY before the days of downloads.)
25. I have always despised the way I look.
26. When I was 12, my mother married a wonderful man named Gordon Nordstrom.
27. He is one of the most awesome men I have ever known.
28. The only time I have drunk too much alcohol was New Years Eve 1965.
29. About four in the morning, several people at the party decided to go to the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
30. I was the designated driver since I had stopped drinking about 10 PM
31. While standing on Colorado Boulevard, waiting for the parade to come by, I vomited on the sidewalk.
32. I went back to the van to wait for the others.
33. I have never consumed another alcoholic beverage since then.
34. I entered the army on February 14, 1966.
35. My first day in Basic Training, in El Paso, Texas, I saw The Mamas and the Papas singing “California Dreamin.”
36. I spent my 21st birthday on my hands and knees cleaning the floor of the Brigade Colonel’s office with a damp rag.
37. While in basic training, I gained 10 pounds.
38. While on KP one day, I heard Nancy Sinatra singing “These Boots Were Made For Walking.”
39. In July 1966 I went to Korea for 13 months.
40. I was saved on a Sunday night at a Billy Graham movie in Taegu, Korea.
41. While in Korea I met Wayne Barth, Tony Bartlett, and Walt Williams.
42. Wayne Barth told us about the Church of God.
43. I became a Sunday School Teacher at the Military chapel in Taegu.
44. My class was about 4 or 5 ten-year-old boys and girls.
45. One Sunday, only the two Korean boys showed up.
46. The lesson was about prayer.
47. One of the boys said, “Prayer is hard for me because I do not speak English very well.”
48. I told them, “Pray in Korean, God understands Korean.”
49. When I came back from Korea, I was assigned to Fort Bliss, Texas – where I had had Basic Training.
50. While at Fort Bliss, I met Doug Bayless.
51. While at Fort Bliss, I met Jimmy and Judy and David Parker.
52. The first time I saw David, he was standing in his crib with a diaper on.
53. Doug and I went to Jimmy and Judy’s apartment each Sunday to have church.
54. We had church by singing some songs, praying, and listening to a taped sermon by Emerson Wilson.
55. This is the same way we had church in Korea after we found out about the Church of God.
56. I got out of the Army on February 12, 1969.
57. I went home to visit my parents and told them I was moving to Alabama so I could be in a Church of God congregation.
58. I owned a 1967 Volkswagen then.
59. I arrived in Morgan City about 10:30 PM one night.
60. I did not know where anything was so I spent the night in the car.
61. The next morning I walked into what was to become Ken’s Kwik Stop and asked where the Church of God was.
62. They looked at me kind of funny.
63. I do not blame them.
64. I needed a bath.
65. I like Jazz.
66. I like Bluegrass.
67. I was in a folk/Bluegrass trio when I was in college.
68. We were called The Lexingtons.
69. I still have some of our business cards.
70. I like some “New Age” music.
71. I enjoyed watching my children grow up.
72. I liked watching my children learn things and explore new places.
73. One of the first words Joshua said was “coriolas”.
74. Jef used to suck his thumb and play with his hair when he went to sleep.
75. Jef used to read the encyclopedia each evening before going to bed.
76. Cathy used to do her homework sitting on her bed.
77. Timothy had trouble reading.
78. Mitchi taught him to read better my making him read the sports section of the newspaper each night and asking him questions about what he read.
79. I was a Junior High School teacher for six months.
80. I taught at Union Hill School.
81. I took over the classes that Mitchi taught.
82. She retired because she was pregnant with Jeffrey.
83. Only one of our four children graduated from high school.
84. My first car was a white Volvo 544.
85. My second car was a beige Volkswagen beetle.
86. My third car was a gold Volkswagen Van
87. My fourth car was a blue Datsan. (Nissan, now)
88. My fifth car was a blue Honda Civic.
89. My sixth car was a white Honda Civic.
90. I started lifting weights when I was 50.
91. I started running when I was 55.
92. I stopped running when I was 60.
93. I still lift weights.
94. My favorite color is blue.
95. I do not like green or black clothes.
96. I taught myself how the play the guitar when I was in high school.
97. I saw the Dave Brubeck Quartet and the Kinston Trio at the Hollywood Bowl in 1963(?).
98. I saw Merl Travis at the Ash Grove in Hollywood.
99. I saw Roger Miller at the Troubador in Hollywood.
100. I saw the Kingston Trio at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.

Wait! I’m not done. There’s more.

101. I saw the Kinston Trio at Melodyland in Anaheim.
102. I taught Randy Smith how to play the guitar.
103. I taught myself how to play drums.
104. I built my first synthesizer from a kit.
105. I have built two recording studios.
106. I once dated Miss Teenage Los Angeles (twice!).
107 Her name was/is Muriel Dance.
108. She is now the Director of Continuing Education at Antioch University.
109. I was the President of the youth group in the Lutheran church I attended.
110. I chopped the end of my left middle finger off in 1973 or so.
111. I had to stop playing guitar.
112. I taught myself to play piano. (not very well)
113. I love the southwestern American desert.
114. I love the Pacific coast.
115. I love the high Sierra mountains.
116. Donner Pass is one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
117. My grandmother used to let me play near the railroad tracks when I was 5.
118. The plan failed.
119. I survived.
120. I love to travel by car.
121. My grandfather was a railroad engineer.
122. I got to ride in the steam engine with my grandfather.
123. I have traveled by train from Reno to Los Angeles.
124. I have traveled by train from Los Angeles to Sacramento.
125. I am decorating my house in southwestern motif.