The Flight Deck

Idaho Joe

I was born in California Gold Country March, 19th 1962.  It’s been mostly up and down since then. 5th Generation Californian, with a Great, Great Grandfather who jumped ship in San Francisco Bay in 1849 to strike it rich and never left.  He never got rich either.

 

My family moved to Reno, Nevada in 1968 and that’s where I received most of my schooling.  I’ve lived several places since, looking for a home town to call my own.  We’ve been in Meridian, Idaho for twelve years now, so maybe I’ve found it.  We have kicked around the idea of moving to Colorado after the children are raised, since my wife’s family mostly all lives over there.  We went for a visit at Christmas time and I shoveled two feet of snow out of my In-laws front yard, so that idea doesn’t look so good anymore.

 

I used to work for a “Large, Semiconductor Manufacturer” that is based here in Boise.  In there infinite wisdom they purged me a while back, so now I work for a Locomotive Manufacturer as a Mechanical Designer.  One of the better moves I’ve made.

 

I”ve never served in the military, but always been a war history and military equipment fan.  For entertainment I read anything I can get my hands on.  I also have a Private Pilots license with Instrument rating, but it hasn’t been used much since all the kids came along. I’ve run a couple of marathons, a slew of smaller races and “Robie Creek,” the hardest Half Marathon in the Northwest.  I’ve now got the running going again and plan to never stop.

 

I’ve been married twice. The first time taught me just what I couldn’t live with.  Only good thing to come out of that marriage was my oldest son, who’s in graduate school in England.

 

Second time, I married a woman who lets me think I’m in charge and that I actually know a thing or two.  In other words, she lies.  Been married 25 years next September 5th, and it looks like it just might work out.  We had only dated two months when we got married, but when you know you know.

 

The little woman presented me with two more wonderful children 22 and 18 years ago in Philadelphia.  My daughter, who’s my heart, is also the reason I’m here in the first place. Ever since she was about 12 years old she wanted to be a Naval Officer, attend the Naval Academy and fly off Aircraft Carriers, mostly in that order.  I was doing research for her and stumbled onto Captain Lex and never left.  My daughter didn’t make the Academy, at least not yet, but she did complete Navy Boot Camp and graduated from the Defense Language Institue in Monterey, California.  She now does stuff she can’t talk about in a place I can’t talk about.

 

The youngest is another boy.  He also finished Navy Boot Camp and is at Nuclear Power School in South Carolina. Smart kid, good looking and the leader of the pack where ever he goes.  Takes after his Mother.

 

My family has also hosted five female and one male foreign exchange students.  As far as mix goes they’ve been four Germans, one Chinese and a crazy little Italian girl   We tell them each year they’re not allowed to ever go home, but they keep leaving anyway.  And not one of them will answer to “Fezz.”  

 

Thanks for having me. 

 

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