Grew up in the era of drug, sex and rock n' roll in California USA. My parents were dead on hippies and stoners so you can imagine my childhood how crazy it might have been. Yes even as kids my parents (still alive) were kids themselves so they really didn't know how to care for children and treated my brothers and sisters more like little brothers and sisters.
We wore bell-bottoms, danced to disco music, had roller skating parties and grew our hair super long..lol. I can remember, my brothers and sisters were hardly ever inside watching tv, talking on the phone or anything like that. My brother and I were out of the house and the crack of dawn playing whatever sport were we playing. And if we weren't playing sports were out running around being a kid.
After graduating high school, I joined the US Marine Corps and had a great ole time getting my butt-kicked and reversing all the bad things I did before I got there. I got so bad, they kicked me out into the US Navy ..lol, but this turned out to be the wake up call I needed. I did not want to go back home so the Marines where gracious enough to recommend me to the US Navy.
Did 3 tours in the middle east in various different conflicts with both the Navy and Marines. Served in Central America, Panama, Colombia, East Africa in Somalia Mogadishu back in the early 90's.
However those conficts, in my time in the military I visited and partially lived in 38 countries including Thailand, Australia, Philippines, China, India, Saudi Arabia and Africa of course. Best places with the most memories where Phukett Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Vancouver Canada, Panama Canal, Hawaii, Mexico, Central America and South America.
Of course lots of business there in all those places while serving in the military but man the times were great and unforgettable memories not just with the locals of those places, but with my comrades in both the Marines and Navy.
Parties in different countries, meeting different people, having girlfriends from different countries. Man it was a total blast now that I look back on it. Altough the world I lived in, I was always heading to danger, but during the times when we had downtime, boy it was nothing but fun, laughter and good times. People and friends that I will never forget.
So of them are gone now(dead or just not the social media type)some just don't want to be found. For whatever reason, their lives now are more involved with their families I would assume.
After getting out of the military I bounced around San Diego, CA San Antonio TX and San Francisco Ca.
Eventually I settled in Las Vegas NV, went to college on the GI Bill, got my degree in IT and got married and had 3 wonderful kids along with my beautiful wife.
Now in my early 50's, I can say that I did most of the things I set out to do as a kid, and now I am embarking on this internet marketing venture that I am so passionate about. Also day trade futures and have done so for 25 yrs now, bought 3 houses and living in the 3rd now.
I look at my daughters and see myself in them when I was their age, and many times there's an inkling of a tear drop because it seem like yesterday that I was living in their shoes. All in all at 53 yrs old, I really believed I have lived a full life and am settling in now for the next chapter of my life.
Cheers to all my steemers and salute to all my brothers and sisters that served with me and chewed the same dirt while we were young.
