Through Time & Space

What I did on my journey through Time ...

In a bit more than 6 decades I've settled into 7 places I called home. The chart uses today's date.

... & Space

In a mostly East-West direction, the extreme ends of my homes have been 9200 km (5700 miles) apart. The extreme ends cover 9 time zones, and a longitude range of 130 degrees, about 36% of world's circumference.  I've lived on both sides of the Atlantic ocean, and the east side of the Pacific ocean. In a North-South direction, my average latitude has been 45 degrees, the extreme ends fit within a narrow latitude range of 15 degrees, 4% of the world's circumference.

Within the narrow latitude band, plants and animals have been similar, as one would expect. Perhaps surprisingly, the hot and cold temperature averages vary quite a bit:

• most north, Ireland, 18  to 2 C), (64 to 36 F), 

• Boston, 28 to -6 C, (82 to 22 F), and

• most south, San Jose, 28 to 6 C, (82 to 43 F). 

In all cases the prevailing weather comes from the west.  On the west coast of USA, the large Pacific Ocean tempers extremes. On east coast you have a land mass to west (with moisture from the Great Lakes), which seems to explain the larger hot and cold averages.  In Europe the Atlantic to west is warmed a bit and tempered from the gulf stream, ironically originating in the Gulf of Mexico.

Central New York State

I was born in Fall River, MA, but my parents left before I could remember.  I grew up near Syracuse, NY, (Marcellus, of shale fame). I was the 1st of 3 siblings. My mother would prepare me for the real world by teaching me how to tie a tie, the importance of books, probably not obvious, but important, an interest in sports, and I hoped someday to type as well as she (she on a manual). In fact my high school graduation present was a typewriter (an electric). My father, a general contractor who built houses and later garden style apartment buildings, had me working from when I was 11 years old. I quite enjoyed it, and would work all summer, and on weekends. I would progress from ditch digger, sheet rock dust sweeper, snow shoveller, grass cutter, to by the time I was 16, electrician. It was from my Dad, I gained an early bird gets the worm, work ethic.  He taught me to be prepared with a notepad (your "office") and tools, always.  It was because of his pay I was able to afford my bikes and cars (the ones in which you keep your tools so you can fix it on route).  He was self employed, and I think always wished the same for his kids. In fact I became self employed. No coincidence.  I never worked on a farm, but grew up around many dairy farms, and would wake up each morning to the sounds of cows. There were many woods to explore and from the ice age, many stones from which stone walls were built. I grew up a Red Sox fan.

Marcellus High School was mostly getting out so I could work, but I did enjoy Math and Science.  Mr. Hoyt, my 11th grade Math teacher, had a huge HP calculator in his office (desktop adding machine size).  It was programmable by using penciled in cards.  You basically programmed in an assembly type code.  I loved that thing and would stay after school and program many things, including my first Blackjack playing program.  

Old Orchid Beach, Sebago Lake Region, Maine

Every summer our mother would take us kids to see our Grandparents who lived in a beautiful old house in Old Orchid Beach, and later, a condo in Scarborough, Maine. We would also visit a camp on Crescent Lake, and later, Raymond Pond, near East Raymond. By the coast, we had the ocean, with white sandy beaches, the sea air, and plenty of lobsters and steamers. On the lake we had Loons and the fresh pine air.

North Country, New York State

Long Island, New York

For 6 years or so I lived at Burger View Estates, in Huntington Village,. It was here that the tradition of a Saint Paddy's Day Fest was born on the first Saturday before 17 Mar '84. Good friends were made there. We became know as the Great League of Fruitful Fisherman Bunker Club -- Leo the mural artist, Dian the caterer for the rich and famous, George the bass player, John the model, Loretta the aerospace engineer, Charlie king of the clammers, Karen the bank clerk, and Frank the safety engineer.  

I obtained a Masters of Science from SUNY Stony Brook (1990). I would become a Mets fan, and attended many games. In the 1986 World Series I rooted for the Mets, instead of the Red Sox (blasphemous to my New England family

Frankfurt, Germany

San Jose, California

Lowell, Massachusetts

From San Jose it was on to Chelmsford and Lowell (near Boston, 2001), the land of red bricks and white steeples. This brought us closer to our daughters (my step-) and grandkids on Long Island.  It's here I started my own consulting business (2004), which allowed me to manage my life balance with my German style enlightenment. With self employment, I found my stress greatly diminished. We settled in with 2 cats, Molly and later, Flynn.  Things would change drastically with Dian's passing (Sep 2007). Flynn disappeared while hunting one day (2010).  Molly would die of kidney failure (2011).  I moved to a 1 bedroom loft, in downtown Lowell to enjoy downsized living. When I step outside, I can walk around and investigate pubs, restaurants, and shops. There's a scenic canal walk. 

It was Dian who introduced me to Doolin, County Clare, Ireland.  We would go every year.  It was her spiritual home, and became mine  After her passing I would continue to visit for a week or 2. I would also continue to visit Maine each year, where I would get great peace. I gladly returned to my Red Sox fan roots, and would attend many games. Because of my National League flirtations, I retain a disdain for the DH rule.

Lisdoonvarna, County Clare, Ireland

During one of my visits to Doolin (May 2013), I would meet my wife, Rita Kilderry. She served food at McDermott's and it was Patsy McDermott herself who introduced us. It was perhaps because we had both recently lost partners that Patsy thought we would be compatible. We hit it off and were married in Sep 2014. Rita has a son and daughter and 4 grandkids, who live nearby. I don't have live baseball, but I find Hurling, and its clash of the ash, to be a great game. Up the Banner.

Epilogue

In County Clare we're surrounded by cows, sheep and artful stone walls. The ocean is only 10 minutes away, with mostly cliffs and rocky shores like Acacia, but in Lahinch, a white sandy beach. Where I grew up things have become a bit more suburbanized. Here things remain a bit more rural. There you can't see the stars quite as well at night. Here you can (although, while dark, often cloudy). In some ways I've come full circle, not back home, where the experiences of my memories don't exist anymore, but back to a place where they do. I like that. It rains most days, but that's what keeps the landscape so green. In the winter, water rarely freezes. In the summer temperatures are rarely over 25 C (77 F). There the sun rose over the ocean, here it sets. The pace strikes a less hectic balance. I like these differences too.