Wow.  Forty-freakin’-eight.

Maddy and me

I guess I should be happy to have another birthday, considering the alternative

In most respects, just another day in front of the computer. Birthdays have been sort of a non-celebratory thing for me for about the last half dozen years.  Circumstances, I guess.  It’s not so much about time marching on.  Although I will say that turning 30 didn’t bother me at all, but I’m STILL pissed about turning forty.

In case you’re interested, here is a bulleted story of George:

• Military brat.  Dad moved to the US by accident.  On his way to Australia from Edinburgh, he stopped in San Fran and it stuck.  He joined the US Air Force in the pipe and drum band.
• Born in Wash DC in 1961.
• Moved to Alaska when I was 4.  Stayed 4 years then off to New Hampshire with us, followed by a few years in Goose Bay, Labrador; UP Michigan; Taipei, Taiwan; Spokane Washington and ultimately back in Alaska.
• I was bullied for my entire 7th grade by a jerk named Stephen Bishop.
• I played trumpet in band.
• My best memories of school were from Taiwan.
• I moved to Los Angeles in 1979, went to school for Avionics but never worked in the field.
• Started working in the Emergency Room at Santa Monica Hospital
• Eventually went to Paramedic School and got hired by LAFD
• Took bass guitar lessons for a while, met up with a great “Big Hair” band in the 80′s and worked as their stage manager.  Came “this close” to making it.  Had a great time and put entirely too much of my earnings up my nose.
• Moved from So Cal in 1988 ’cause my dad was ill.  Back to Alaska with me.
• Worked for the Alaska Railroad as a brakeman.
• Worked security on the Alaska Pipeline
• Got married in 1991 in my parents back yard – Dad performed the ceremony
• Worked at a chemical munitions disposal plant on Johnston Atoll, 800 miles south of Hawaii
• Opened and ran a very successful paramedic training program in Alaska
• Got 2nd place in a literary competition for an EMS trade journal
• Developed, wrote and named the newsletter for the National Association of EMS Educators
• Presented at several national conferences
• Developed a fear of flying – So I became a pilot.
• Got to fly the MD-11 Simulator at the FedEx facility in Anchorage.
• Finally had a child in 2003.  Madeline Skye Angus.  Best thing I ever did in my life.  Period.
• Dad died on Valentines day in 2005
• Two years ago on the day before my birthday, I found an email from my wife she sent to a co-worker professing her love to him.  I moved out of my house on my birthday.  We divorced.
• I’m 48, I live with my girlfriend and have every other week with Maddy.  I’m trying to make my living with this writing blogging stuff and I’m not really making it.

So, there you have it.  Many milestones and trust me when I say I’ve just scratched the surface.

Thanks for coming by and visiting.  Always nice to see folks drop by.