the beginning

Dave, age 3

I found this quote by John Steinbeck. "We are lonesome animals. We spend all our life trying to be less lonesome.One of our ancient methods is to tell a story begging the listener to say and to feel. Yes , that's the way it is, or at least that's the way I feel it. You're not as alone as you thought." I thought it might be appropriate to use this quote to start my first blog. I spent a lot of time reading John Steinbeck's short stories when in elementary school. The Red Pony, The Pearl, Grapes of Wrath. I also loved Poe. The Cask of Amontillado and Hop Frog were my favorites. I read lots of other stuff too. I always loved reading and being grounded on a regular basis gave me the necessary time. I would always get lost in books. Not lost as in unable to comprehend what I was reading, but books always had a way of transporting me to different times and places.

Dave and Bonnie

Here is where my story starts. I was there, but some parts are a little fuzzy. Have you ever thought about your birth?  What I mean is not just the act of you being born, but the things were happening in the world. The world is a pretty big place and there is always stuff happening ever since the world began. I've thought about it on a number of occasions. I was born July 18th, 1967 just 4 days after my mom's 22nd birthday. Vietnam was in full swing. This was the same year that Jimi Hendrix released "Are You Experienced?". The Beatles also released "Sgt. Peppers".  I was born at  Elmendorf Air Force Base, just outside of Anchorage, Alaska. My mom recently told me that she was placed into a hospital room and they came and check on her from time to time. I'm sure it was very hard on her being alone and far from home. She had grown up in Davis , California. My dad's mother worked at UC Davis and somewhere along the way, my parents met. Bonnie and Bob met, dated, and then married. My dad and some of his buddies decided to enlist and go to Alaska. This way they avoided being drafted and getting sent to 'Nam.  There was a concern that the United States could be invaded by the Russians by way of the Aleutian Islands. So while my dad was out saving the world from the commies, my mom was giving birth. 

Dave, Bonnie, and Charlie Chan

Some time later, the family moved to Davis, California. I was told that I was about three months old. I don't remember anything about Alaska, but I hear its very nice. In Davis, we lived with Grandma and Grandpa O' Toole. My mom worked while my grandma took care of me. In the meantime, my dad was waging his own war against responsibility. My grandma was a school teacher for many years and taught me how to read and write. I used to eat pink sugar wafer cookies, drive my toy cars, trucks, and trains on "roads" that I made on the carpet, and watch home movies on the wall. Maybe there was a screen, but it seems like it was just shown on the wall. Every time I see those pink sugar wafer cookies, I think about all the time I spent at the kitchen table doing the "homework" she gave me to do. Thanks, grandma. My mom said that grandma was very proud of me. She even said I was smart. 

not the original, but you get the idea

I still remember the monkey lamp that was made out of a coconut. The light bulb was in his belly. It's funny how I remember things like that.