Cougashika's profile

View all favorite photos

Relationship

Interested in meeting people for friendship

Hometown

Long Beach, CA;

Places I've been

El Paso, TX; Pinon Hills, CA; Democrat Hot Springs, CA; Catalina Is., CA; Fort Polk, LA; Fort Rucker, AL; Fort Hood, TX(x2); Fort Eustis, VA(x2); Fort Lewis, WA(x3); Frankfurt am Main, FRG; Wiesbaden, FRG; Dupont, WA; Blaine, WA/Douglas, BC(x2); Illesheim, FRG; Rothenburg o.d.T., FRG; Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Hafar Al Batin, Saudi Arabia; Ras As Salman, Iraq; Ras Al Kuwait, Kuwait; Lakewood, WA; Spokane, WA; Kent, WA (currently)

Education

• Robert A. Millikan High School, JROTC - 1970 to 1973
• Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, Associates in Arts & Sciences, Associate in Tech. - 1995 to 1997
• Pacific Lutheran University, Bachelor of Arts in Education - Secondary - 1997 to 2000

Work

• Clover Park School District, Lakewood, WA, substitute teacher - 2000 to 2002
• Kent School District, Kent, WA, substitute teacher - 2003 to 2007

Military

• B Co, 3/160th Infantry Bn - 1973 to 1974
  Division: 40th Infantry Div (Mech), California ANG
  Rank: Private First Class
• C Trp, 34th Support Sdn, ACCB - 1974 to 1977
  Division: 1st Cav, Ft. Hood, TX
  Rank: Specialist Four
• HHT & C Trp, 3/5 Cavalry Sdn - 1977 to 1979
  Division: 9th Infantry Div., Ft. Lewis, WA
  Rank: Sergeant
• 62nd Aviation, 11th Aviation Bn - 1979 to 1981
  Division: V Corps Aviation, Frankfurt, Germany
  Rank: Sergeant
• A Co, 9th Aviation Bn - 1981 to 1988
  Division: 9th Inf, Ft. Lewis, WA
  Rank: Staff Sergeant
• B Co, 4th Bn, 229th Atk Hel Regt - 1988 to 1994
  Division: 11th Aviation Bde, VII Corps, Illesheim, Germany
  Rank: Staff Sergeant
• D Trp, 1/18 Cavalry Sdn - 1977 to 1977
  Division: 40th Infantry Div (Mech), Califoria ANG
  Rank: Specialist Four

More about me

I am an anomaly: the third of five, I am almost as successful as the youngest an definitely more than the eldest. Born in the Fifties and lived my teen years in the Seventies, I was a member of the ROTC drill team in high school. While others evaded the draft by dodging I registered, then volunteered for the Army in 1973. I was celibate until I was 27; I missed the "sexual revolution." In 1994 I retired from the Army as the lowest rank allowed to retire at the time (Staff Sargeant), and had a 40% disability rating from the VA. I went to college for the first time in 1995, and graduated in 2000 with a BAEd and a teaching certificate, but could only get substitute teacher positions. After I had an ICD implanted in 2006 suddenly everyone wanted me for positions I could not hold without ignoring my health (I had already done too much of that). Married, my wife left me; yet we are still fond enough of each other not to get a divorce. I am twice a grandfather while my sisters and brothers have to make do as aunts and uncles (I mention this as a good thing). When I'm not teaching today's youth part-time I write, collect stuffed penguins, tolerate a pushy cat (NOT a misspelling), spend time on the computer, and occaisionally move.

Activities

Active: SCUBA diving, bicycling, walking, tai chi; Sedentary: computer, sci-fi character role playing games, reading sci-fi, writing sci-fi, petting my cat, watching videos of 'Serenity' and 'Firefly, ' collecting die-cast helicopters, collecting stuffed penguins

Favorite Charities

Army Emergency Relief, American Red Cross

Favorite Music

Yes, Moody Blues, Dido, Cranberries, CSN(w/o Y), Blue Man Group, Simple Minds, REM, Lee Ritenour, Andreas Vollenweilder, Mike Oldfield, Styx, Steven Earle, Molly Hatchet, Pink Floyd, Head East, early Kraftwerk, Sergio Mendes and Brasil 66, Herb Alpert, "Celtic" music (including bagpipes), U2, Brazilian jazz, pre-hippie folk music, military running cadences, military marches

Favorite TV Shows

Firefly (cancelled), Space: Above & Beyond (cancelled), Battlestar Galactica (the new one), Stargate SG-1 (cancelled), Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends (when Cheese is on), Robotech (cancelled), any good science fiction, shows featuring penguins

Favorite Movies

Serenity, Surfs Up, Happy Feet, Mission to Mars, Starship Troopers, Medicine Man, Wizards, Flying Tigers, God Is My Co-Pilot, Fire Birds, Final Fantasy: both Advent Children and Spirits Within, Soldier, Labyrinth, Fifth Element, We Were Soldiers Once, Blackhawk Down, Hamburger Hill, Saving Private Ryan, Appleseed and other anime, movies featuring penguins

Favorite Books

Military sci-fi, technothrillers, fictional technical manuals for space and sci-fi equipment, Traveller rule books, books with penguins in them

Favorite Quotes

"When the pin is pulled, Mr, Grenade is no longer our friend." -unknown

Favorite People

players of Traveller RPG, my students, my fellow teachers, old military buddies, sci-fi writers, sci-fi readers, Browncoats, new military buddies, Elmer W. Stringfellow (RIP), akibara, pilots and aviation mechanics, people who like or own penguins

Favorite Places

Seashore, islands, mountains, evergreen forests, vehicle tunnels, airports, historical fortresses, zoos with penguins

Favorite Animals

PENGUINS!!! oh, yeah, and my cat. in fact, KITTIES!!!

More "About"