I was born in '63, the youngest of five siblings, three boys and two girls spread over 11 years.

My father was Christian and intellectually conservative. He was possibly somewhat Libertarian. Dad was a WWII vet as a corporal of Company E, 5?? Aviation Engineers (Pacific Theatre built air fields across the Philippine Islands etc.). His Sergeant Major offered him First Sergeant to re-up but he was ready to go home after the Japanese signed the truce ending the war. Dad was proud to have witnessed the event from another ship at a distance. Dad's family couldn't afford to send him to High School so eighth grade was his education. However, he read everything (I mean everything) and I haven't met a smarter, wiser man yet. Dad loved the Cards (St. Louis) and listened to the games on the radio when we wouldn't let him watch them on TV. He was a master story teller (a lost art) and would entertain us for hours. Dad became friends with Dr. Carl Baugh having discovered an 18" human footprint in rock that was walking horizontally into the one of our Ozark Mountains. I got to witness first hand the hammer in coal that Dr. Baugh had in his hatchback at the time (I had just turned teenager).

Dad had a stroke in '98 and after 3 weeks in the nursing home we asked him if he wanted to go home. He could only answer yes and no and indicated yes. After one week at home he just stopped eating and drinking. Dad lived 3 weeks without food and water (his heart was so strong) but finally got his lifelong wish to die on the homesteaded land of his father where he and I were reared. He taught me so much about life and wisdom, but his final lesson was dying with dignity and the greatest lesson I have ever learned. The whole family was present and I was privileged to be holding Dad's hand as he passed away. Now he is gone I regret more than anything that my children do not get to know him. He had the same regret for me about his father who died when he was 16. I wish my memory were better so I could share those stories again.

My mother is a die hard Republican (still working) who's father (my only grandparent I remember when I was three years old) used to call everyone he didn't like, a "Sonery bitching Democrat". The older I get, the more I understand his perceptions. Momma is a Christian first and takes pride in the fact that she could always out work any man, woman or child, or combination thereof. She gave me some of her work ethic but I could never keep up with her, and still can't. We plead with her to slow down but she would likely wither away if she did.

My brother David, the middle child, died from electrocution at 16 years old. I was nine and it was my first experience of death. Within a year Mom and I were visiting with Dad who was cutting timber in Kentucky. During lunch break his partner cutter complained of indigestion. He had several brothers and his father die of heart failure in their 40's. Dad offered to take him to the doctor. He refused and within minutes keeled over of a massive heart attack having a small trickle of blood release from his forehead. He was in his early 40's......More to follow.....

Roughly in order of importance:
I am a Christian
Husband for 22 years to my High School sweetheart
Father of two (girl 12 and boy 9)
Veteran (ARMY)
I am a conservative Republican
Database developer for a 10k employee defense industry company
Mechanical engineer (UMR)
FReeper
NRA member
Soccer coach
International High IQ Society member (evidence that IQ doesn't make one smart ;-)
Wordsmith for fun's sake