Autobiographical fragment (for my 50th high school anniversary, which I'm not attending)

Wow, 50 years! Where'd the time go? I moved to Texas in June '78 and bounced around between Dallas, Fort Worth -- adopted home since '78, when I moved here to open a record store that stayed open 25 years under four different companies -- Austin, Aspen, and Memphis, where I lost my job in January '82. My future ex-wife was expecting, so I moved her back to Fort Worth and joined the US Air Force for ten years, seven months, and 13 days active duty, nine years and change Reserve. We thought we won the Cold War in '91; didn't see what was coming.

Out of uniform and back in Fort Worth, I spent nine years ('93-'02) as a tech writer for RadioShack (who would claim to be one who wasn't?), was a freelance journalist, worked in online advertising (evil, didn't realize how much so till later), spent five years as a grocery clerk, had a nice second childhood playing guitar in rock, blues, and experimental bands from '97-'12, then was the primary caregiver for a medically fragile, multi-disabled grandson from 2012 until his passing in 2017...the most meaningful and important work I have ever done. Remarried in 2005 and living my best life for 20 years and counting. 

I was diagnosed with Stage 3 heart failure in 2018 (the boy's death literally broke my heart); beat it with the help of a great heart doc (nice Japanese boy from DC) and DOING WHAT HE TOLD ME TO DO. In good health the last two years, I am betting the chips I have left that engagement and solidarity can beat ignorance and apathy to save our democracy. I figure the odds are 50/50. Action is the antidote to despair. Be well!