Nice old guy.... Was brought up the hard way. 12 years of catholic education stifled the creative side of my brain, intelligence and persona. 50 years later, my knuckles still hurt from the nun's ruler. I still find it hard to think independently .....outside the "box" as they say. Often wonder what it would have been like to have a liberal education and to have been a free thinker. As they say....Oh Well!!

I don't blame my parents anymore. They thought they were doing the proper thing in raising us that way. I refused to raise my children like I was although they were on the receiving end of my discipline. Over the years I have apologized to them several times. Makes me sad to have messed with their minds/souls as my parents and the nuns did to me.

Never abused by the catholic priests that I know of. Just the nuns. May God have mercy on their souls. ......(providing they had souls).

In my latter years, I have tried to live one day at a time; that is.....when I pay attention to this philosophy.

11/28/2008: As an addendum...Just in the past two years, I have learned to observe situations and come up with ideas that will absolve mistakes made in manufactured goods. Presently looking for a partner who will take these ideas and run with them. Would like to "retire" again....only this time RICH so I could do the things I want to do. In other words, financial independence.

What do I want to do? Glad you asked. I want to have plenty of dinero to go "Down Under" several times per year and look for raw gold nuggets in the Bendigo and Ballarat, Australia areas. Plus look for opals and sapphires. My Dad and Mom always said I should open a restaurant. I have ideas for that also in Australia. Only takes $$$!!

Money is not at the center of my life. ...the so called "root of all evil". What it can do is. So don't ding me for "adoring" money. I don't.

I just want to make opportunities for up and coming worthy deserving young folk. No, I do not want to give handouts. Jesus always said that the poor will always be with us. I want to teach people to fish, not hand them a fish.

Also, along those lines, seeing a baby or the look on a very young persons face who has a cleft pallet just tears me up. No one should be ridiculed and made fun of just because of their looks. I want to fund doctors and nurses to go into all countries where the people cannot afford operations. We need to correct these types of problems and make it happen now!! Anonymously of course for me, because I am not a "pound my chest" type of guy. I just want to give the wee folk a chance to be proud of themselves. I know first hand what it is like to grow up a fat, unwanted kid. It ain't perty nor fun!!