April 20, 2009
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About Tychecat
This week Socrates_Cafe asks:
1. Who am I?
2. What interests me?
3. What do I know? Where have I been?
4. What is the most Important/Dramatic/Horrible/Best/ thing that ever happened to me?
5. What will happen to me?If you've checked my profile here you know I've briefly answered most of these questions. I think I'll elaborate on a few and perhaps concentrate on on the best thing(s) that ever happened to me.
Who am I and what interests me?
Well, first off, I'm a sort of polymath. I've been a lot more interested in learning than I have been driven to accomplish. I've attended and studied at schools ranging from the USMMA to Harvard. I managed to meet and talk with high government officials (one-on-one with a Sec. of State long ago) Presidential advisers, religious leaders (I was once the Director of Religious Education for my local church) communists, mass murderers, military heros, the very rich and the very poor. In short, In my long life, I've been around.
I'm a member of AHA, Phi Alpha theta, TNS, and Mensa. My college fraternity was TKE. I was a member of the NRA until they went all strange (pretty good shot - mostly pistols)
I'm mostly fascinated by society, politics, religion, and the frontiers of science. I liked to sail when I was physically able, and I still like to paint.
As a sailor, later as a teacher, and since, I've had to opportunity to visit most of the world - and took advantage of every opportunity. I've been to Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia many times, but still find North America the most beautiful part of the world.What's the best thing(s) that ever happened to me?
The first happened when I was a lowly private in the Army. I was on orders to go to Iceland (not my first choice).
I actually went AWOL for the afternoon, took a bus to the Pentagon, found someone to complain to and within 24 hours was on my way to Ft. Eustice, VA. There I found my way to the faculty of the Army Transportation School. There I taught Seamanship and Navigation for the next two years. This introduced me to teaching - a vocation I loved, still love, and one I have a natural flair for. After my enlistment was up, I left the Army (they wanted me to stay - offered me a Warrant or a civilian GS-5) and went back to college on the GI Bill.
I stayed for a couple of degrees and than began to teach. I taught for the next thirty years and retired. My wife and I have studied, traveled, and played ever since, as in fact, we did when we were teaching.
Which brings me to the other best thing; My wife and I met in our thirties and quickly discovered we were Socrates' perfect halves (Plato's Symposium- look it up) We've lived happily ever after.That's me - or at least as much as you need to know right now
Comments (6)
You're linked
Given your profile we might have more in common that I originally thought. I am just not a sailor...I think the worst thing you can do to me is put me on a yacht at see.
Which Secretary of State?
In 1967 I was invited to a conference at the State Dept. While there I had to opportunity to speak with Sec. of State Dean Rusk.
I also had the honor[?] of being lied to - eyeball to eyeball- by both Rusk and Lyndon B Johnson, then President of the US.
They told me they were "Doing everything in their power" to get us out of Viet Nam. According to the later-published Pentagon Papers,they were doing just the reverse.
The whole experience was very strange - maybe someday I'll write the whole story. I was for the whole four-day conference chaperoned by an Assistant Secretary of State and a retired senior ambassador - who sort of latched on to my wife and me. (Yes I got her invited also - another story )
Wow! You've really had a full and interesting life. I'm in awe of all you've done and you have obviously grown from all of your experiences. I think the "whole story" of your life would be very interesting to read. Also, I am glad that you and your wife got to enjoy playing and teaching together for so many years. I'm not trying to feel sorry that I didn't get to have that, just glad that someone I like did. Give your wife my regards.
Annie
I completely agree with your ideas on the topic above. Excellent Post, keep up the fantastic work.