Mac Linehan
Posts: 1484
Joined: 12/19/2004
From: Denver Colorado
Status: offline
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Lady and Gentlemen -
What a thoroughly enjoyable experience to work through this thread - and learn a little background about each one of you.
Job: School Bus Driver Extraordinaire. What I thought to be a very temporary, unimportant form of employment in 1997 has turned out to be a wonderful experience that has given me virtually everything I ever hoped for. I work 10 months out of the year in a mobile office on wheels that offers a beautiful (and constantly changing!) view of the Colorado mountains and landscapes, (almost) complete independence to think on my own (ofttimes a rare experience these days), with 35 to 55 terrific kids / young adults with whom I have established a very firm bond - based on respect, trust and affection. Throw in a four hour midday break, no work on weekends and more school holidays each year than the Marine Corps ever gave me during my entire career - well then; I am having more fun than a human being should be allowed to have.
While the high school and middle school students are enjoyable to drive, it is the elementary kids who are a joy to have on-board. As I have a MP3 player with an iTrip antenna, we are able to play my (or any of the kid's iPods) MP3 and enjoy a wide range of music - from Journey / Beatles to Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift is currently at the top of the list with the elementary kids, we listen to her music often. I probably have all of her songs memeorized... It is very hard to say "no" to a favorite student (who loves her bus driver), when asked to listen to "Love Story", yet again.
Summers: Driving a rafting bus for a top notch kid's camp at 9000 feet in Buena Vista Colorado. Beautiful hot summer days, lots of reading while waiting for the rafters to show up - with the ice chest withing arm's reach. Crystal clear starry nights (no city nearby). Life is good...
Age: 59 nuclear free spins around the sun, and I am just getting started.
Residence: Highlands Ranch Colorado, a suburb of Denver.
Family: A First Class Wife, who is razor sharp, a brainiac, workaholic, who has a high tolerance for books, games and, of course, more books and games - and she loves me. I am blessed.
One son (22), one daughter (21). One Greyhound.
Education: USN 1971 - 1981. USMC 1982 - 1992. School of Hard Knocks. No regrets - I wanted adventure and I got what I asked for. As for the USMC - there is no better finishing school.
Work: Caring for and loving on those awesome kids that have been entrusted to my care. If you think that I am a bit silly and goofy on this forums, you should see me on the school bus. We tend to focus on the important stuff - like reading " I Crocodile", or "I wanna Iguana". Or movies such as "Madagascar" and "Tangled". I sometimes spend part of my weekend memorizing chunks of dialog for the kids...
Athletics: No talent for: Baseball, Football, Basketball etc. (you get the picture..) Lets just say that in school, I was always one of the last ones to be picked for a team <sigh>.
However, since 1977: Long distance swimming, 3k to 4k - four and five days a week. Bus Driving is the only job I have ever had that gave me a solid chunk of time in the middle of the day (every body else is at work and hard at it) to accomplish that goal.
Note: Years ago, while in my 20's, I would call myself the self styled "human seal". Sadly, 30 years later and due to bodily configurational changes (I am a bit wider now..), I am now the "human walrus"... <grin>
Favorite Quote: Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in all We Do." USMC
Reading: This is a hard one. No TV or radio in my life, the last movie I went to see in a theater was "The Incredibles" in 2004 (outstanding movie, by the way). So - only reading. As virtually everyone who peruses this forum has read extensively on a wide range of subjects (and I will add many of your listed titles to my "read list"), I will stick with the last military history read: "Dreadnought" and it's sequel "Castles of Steel" by Robert Massie.
OK. That's it for now. Reading this thread has only increased my admiration and respect for those who have posted their backgrounds. You are an amazing group of individuals - I am honored and humbled to be considered a participant.
Mac
< Message edited by Mac Linehan -- 4/15/2012 12:51:04 AM >
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RE: Meet the Forumites - 
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), 4 cats - Samwise, male, part maine coon and huge, Smartie - old fart female, Puff - middle aged female and eats like she wants to look like a maine coon, Josie - crazy youngster female, 1 male (I think) turtle - Perry (as in OH Perry, but he's an aquatic turtle), 1 female cockateel (Kiki - she hates guys, 1 female horse - Sterling, my daughter rode her for years but is done now that she is in college - sold at the end of the month, bittersweet - I like her but hate both ends, if you know what I mean. 
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