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Today's Featured Biography
Ken Love
Hello old friend. It's lovely to see you once again. How are you? You're looking great. Me? I'm just peachy, thank you for asking. It's been facinating learning what's happened in the lives of our old classmates over the many years, hasn't it?
What's my story since the old day's at EHS? Well..... Let's see ..... not much to tell, really ....... but, as I remember it, during the closing days of our senior year I thought it would be great to be a hippie -
- so I joined the Marine Corps. I was, as would have been expected in those days, sent off to Vietnam, but was attatched to the unit which turned out to be the very first to begin Ol' Nixon's "Withdrawal With Honor" process. My stay there was fairly brief - less than five months - and I pretty much missed out on having a war-experience which would be book or screen-play worthy, so there's not much to tell you of that.
After four, not entirely enjoyable years in the USMC, I still wanted to be a hippie but by then, the hippie movement was over and done, so I'd missed out on that experience as well. Still, I figured that instead, I could simply live the happy, carefree life of a bachelor -
- so I got married. Thirty-five-plus years later, and in spite of the fact that I think of "marriage" as a completely archaic, outdated concept which is in very serious need of total rethinking (oh, but don't let me get me started on that...), I'm still married to the same Kay. What's the secret to our long-term commitment? I'd have to say, ....... stubbornness?
Right after the end of military service and during the early years of marriage service, I attended community college down here in southern California (have I mentioned that I live in California?), got an AA degree with a major in psychology. Then, we moved up to Seattle so I could continue psych studies at UW with a goal of becoming a psychologist - maybe a shrink for old hippies or something. After having to spend a year working and waiting to reestablish Washington State residence status, (can you believe that my own home state wouldn't welcome back a native son with open arms?) I had only attended two quarters at U-Dub, when Kay felt an overwhelming desire to return to her familiar, sunny, southern California. I had an equally strong desire to remain in my beloved Great Northwest -
- so we moved back to California. Seeing that there was an ever-growing calling in our society in the mental health professions, I planned upon continuing to persue my goal to become a psychologist -
- so I became a fireman (or "firefighter", if you must insist upon the PC form). I put in a thirty-year career with the Oceanside Fire Department (four years of the time as a firefighter/paramedic), but again, no novel or screen-play of my adventures on the job will be forthcoming. I tend to think of my time in that occupation as "three decades as a public babysitter". (Surely, you do keep a box of band-aides and a bottle of asprin in your medicine cabinet, don't you?). (You do know how to use them, right?).
Children? Well, I just never felt cut out for the parental, child-rearing roll and had no interest at all in raising offspring -
- so we had two. Our eldest, Heather is, in my humble opinion, very possibly one of the most brilliant human beings who has ever walked upon this planet. She took up where I dropped-out in the study of psychology and is a counsellor/therapist looking ahead to possible full-fledged shrinkhood, by and by. She's also a very talented poet and often reads her works at area coffee-shops on open-mic poetry nights.
Our son, Aaron, who was, to put it tactfully, somewhat more of a challenge in the upbringing, has ultimately matured into a very fine young man. He has found his calling in the career he loves - a chef at a really great restaurant, has moved-out into his own home, and has married a good woman and has brought two great young male offspring of his own into the world - although, not exactly in that order.
I retired from the OFD in November of '07 and am still getting used to the idea, but I think I'm beginning to catch on.
Recreational activities? Well, I've never really had any special skills or hobbies to speak of. I certainly never had any natural musical talent at all -
- so I took up bagpipes. (That segue actually kind of makes sense, doesn't it?). I'm a member of the North San Diego County Firefighters Pipes and Drums, a fairly newish, slowly growing pipe band with a real mouthful for a name. We've performed at memorial services, fire/police/paramedic graduation ceremonies, Burn Institute functions, parades and numerous other events. I've also piped for the processionals of two nieces' weddings. It will be years before I'll have mastered the instrument (if ever), but so far, I'm having a ball just learning and participating. The most important thing about having taken up bagpipes is - if you'll forgive me for saying it myself - I do look absolutely fabulous in the kilt with all of its accoutrement.
Other than that, I really have no idea of what to do next in the remaining minutes, days or years ahead.
Maybe I'll be a hippie.
Well, I've taken too much of your time with my blatherings. You have others with whom you'd love to reconnect, I'm certain. Thank you for spending this moment with me. It was ever so sweet of you.
Oh, one more thing before you go....... I probably never told you this before, but........
I love you.
No, really. I do.
After all these years, I just thought you should know......
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