Born in 1943 in DC; father was stationed at Ford Dedrick, MD raising germs for the govt. (I think). Family moved to CA after the war; raised on a cattle ranch in northern CA. Father was a vet (DVM). Married 40 years this December; have two grown sons, one a Marine, the other a high school teacher in Chicago. (Not sure which is more at risk, but very proud of both).

Everyone in my family has always been "gun nuts" (except my father) since forever. Taught myself to hunt (good thing) and shoot (bad thing) and been doing both since I was 6 (Good hunter; lousy shot). Still pretty mobile for someone who just got a Medicare card!

Lived in CA, OR, ID, WI, VT, and NY making a living with an English major's skills (or lack of skills, depending on how you look at it). Been a professor, editor, tech writer, ad man, community college administrator, and car salesman. Paid my way thru 10 years of college and grad school as a gardener, forest fire fighter, rent-a-cop, skip tracer, nightschool teacher and farm laborer. Never applied for a student loan (since 1929, my family has had a horror of debt).

Do a lot of backcountry volunteer work with a biological science team mainly because I need to be in the boonies regularly, which a Southern California beach town doesn't offer (On the other hand, it lacks black ice, too....).

Greatly enjoy this forum and hope members forgive (or skip) my windy "English major/old fart" posts!

Mike Armstrong