About This Blog and Me


ABOUT ME

I am another baby boomer who "retired" in 2005 (still not quite sure whose choice that was). Strongly introverted as a child, I read early and often and developed a deep interest in all things related to science. Sputnik was a big deal in my life, as were biology, chemistry, physics, and math at various times. Another other big interest was music, specifically playing the drums. I was not into sports and was considered a bit of an oddball by the other kids in our small Kansas farm town. Although I had two siblings, I was the youngest by over 10 years ("oops" child, I guess), so I was raised as if I were an only child.  

As you might expect, I had trouble deciding on a major in college, but ultimately became a civil engineer in the early 70's. My number was not called for the military draft, and I went to work for a consulting firm. Existence was painfully lonely for a few years; I became a science fiction fan, worked a lot, and spent a lot of time in bars hoping to meet someone. For some reason, my wife took pity on me and invited a shy young engineer to sit with her at a downtown Dallas cafeteria for lunch. We got married, had a child and a house---bang, just like that.

Another couple of years, and we decided to take an opportunity working for the City of Colorado Springs. I remember thinking we would only be here 4 or 5 years while the economy recovered and then I would go back and get a real job in the private sector. Well, we had another child, a job promotion, my wife's family moved here, another house, and next thing you know we've been here thirty years. Blink of an eye and all that. I wound up my career as the CEO of the local municipal utility, and, looking back, I don't think I would do too much differently if I had to do it again. One big exception: I would have worked harder to develop some friendships, but I will write more on that elsewhere.

Retirement came a little early, and we have struggled a bit to find our bearings. It is not at all like I thought it might be, but most of the time it still seems like I should be getting a letter any day now informing me it's over and now I have to go back to work. We have taken up bridge, golf,and mah-Jong. We have quit drinking and smoking. We have started exercising at the gym, lost weight, and started meditating. We are close to two beautiful grandkids.  I have done a lot of volunteer stuff. Lots of DIY projects around the house.

Now, I'm sitting here pondering what to do next. We are empty nesters, and we are ready to move on to something else but we are not sure what. There is lots of stuff we have not yet tried, and we are considering relocating. Starting this blog and doing some writing is another thing I have always wanted to do. Maybe it will open up some new pathways to ideas for our future. 


ABOUT THIS BLOG


My dad ran a gas station for over 40 years in a small farm town named Horton, Kansas.  I worked there every summer starting at age 11 until I left home. The station was kind of a hodgepodge of small buildings that had been connected and added onto over the years.  The newest addition was a small air conditioned area where people came in to pay their bills and maybe purchase some refreshments.  The most prominent feature of this room that I recall was an old fashioned red Coca-Cola pop cooler –the kind where the glass bottles were immersed in about six or 8 inches of ice cold water that continuously circulated through. (This was well before the advent of aluminum cans.)

The majority of our customers were farmers who had come into town on some errand and stopped in to pass some time in the cool air.  The pop cooler was a popular destination especially on hot summer days, and it was not unusual for 5 or 6 men to be hanging around;everyone dressed in their blue denim Sears and Roebuck coveralls, some more worn than others. As a young teenager, one of my jobs was to keep the cooler full, clear away the empty bottles and candy wrappers, and sweep the concrete floor. It seemed like people always tracked in a bunch of dirt, and the smokers never actually hit any of the ashtrays with their ashes, but I got to listen to a lot of different viewpoints.

Some of my fondest memories are of those times when several people gathered 'round the cooler to gossip, complain, and generally share their views of the world. Often, somebody learned something from someone, and more than once I heard people sharing their compassion. In a way, that is the kind of place I would like this blog to be; that is why I chose to name it after the pop cooler in my dad’s gas station.

My goal is to share some memories and thoughts and hopefully meet others who care enough to share as well. My Dad passed away and left very little in the way of things to remember him by. I hope this blog lets my kids and grandkids know a little about him, and me, too. Maybe we will all learn something along the way while we are passing some time.

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