I'm a Yank, and I live north of Chicago
I know this is a British site, intended for Britons. But is it all right if I am here anyway? I hope so.
Anyway, I'm a 55-year-old man with what are considered liberal views in the States. I think George W. Bush is a maniac. Why our stupid Congress impeached Clinton for his sexual adventures but gives Bush blanket permission to trample on the Constitution makes me angry beyond the capabilities of the English language to express. I think that's enough about my political views. Any questions?
I love music. All kinds. Classical, operatic, jazz, big band, swing, rock and pop (mostly from the 50's, 60's and early 70's). I have a record collection of several thousand, everything from Edison cylinders to CD's, and all points between. When I am home, there is almost always music playing. I also have a large collection of phonographs, most of which have automatic record changers--if I'm not mistaken the correct term in British usage is "automatic deck". I also have a few windup gramophones, too. I like the sound of both mechanical and electronic sound reproduction equally--each has its virtues. I'm a BIG fan of Enrico Caruso, even though I'm not old enough to have ever heard him sing in person; if there's an afterlife, the first thing I'm going to ask for is a personal concert from him! Anyway, his records sound the most lifelike to me when played on a gramophone with a loudtone needle installed. It sounds as if he is in my living room!
I have been an English teacher in U.S. public schools for over 30 years. I will retire at the end of next school year, June 2005. I plan to do library work part time after I retire; one of the wisest men I ever knew, my former father-in-law, once told me, "Have something to retire TO." He passed away recently at the ripe old age of 92, so I think there's a chance he might have known what he was talking about!
I have many hobbies: repairing abovementioned old record players, photography, voice, bicycling, camping, reading, antique fan collecting and repairing, anniveresary clock collecting, antique camera collecting--I think that covers them all!
As you may have guessed, I am divorced, but last fall I married a lovely, gentle, young Mexican woman who is my soulmate. She is much younger than I am, but that difference in us rarely matters. I speak Spanish fairly well (She is totally bilingual, so I don't need the skill to communicate with her.), so I can at least carry on a halting conversation with any of her relatives.
I'm also fairly fluent in American Sign Language.
I'm putting my info on this site in the hope of meeting people in cyberspace. I doubt that I'll ever get to visit Britain, much as I would like to, but I think it would be fun to correspond with people besides Americans.
There is another reason I'm doing this. I've had a number of "wake up calls" in the last three years. I've had a couple of cancer scares. I was told almost three years ago that I have Parkinson's disease. And I've had a couple of acquaintances younger than I pass away--I went to a Memorial Service for one of them just yesterday. She was my oldest friend's wife, younger than I. I'd been wanting to get together with my friend and his wife for over a year, but there never seemed to be a good time. One thing I've learned from the experience is this: TAKE the time. None of us know just how much or how little we may have. We must touch and hold those we love and value whenever we can, we must embrace as much experience as we can, because we never know when it will be too late to do either.
My friend's wife had been terminally ill for 26 years! She had systemic lupus erythematosis; she'd also survived cancer twice and had lived with congestive heart failure for 11 years. You would not believe what that wonderful woman accomplished in her life! Especially since I contracted Parkinson's, she has been an inspiration to me!
I've checked the House Rules, and I'm still going to post an email address, since, after all, I set this up for the purpose of correspondence. I hope to hear from many people. [email protected] (sixr087 is the model number of my favorite Zenith radio-phonograph that I own)
Carpe Diem!
eclecticmusicman
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| Eclectic taste.. | Jul 21, 2004 |
| Hi There! | Jul 20, 2004 |
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| ACE's welcome eclecticmusicman! | Jul 19, 2004 |
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| Eclectic taste.. | No Posting | Jul 21, 2004 |
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| ACE's welcome eclecticmusicman! | No Posting | Jul 19, 2004 |
eclecticmusicman
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