Cynthia Blankenship:  

Life Truth is, I didn't actually graduate from Highlands HS. Summer before senior year I married a Vietnam Vet who attended UC Berkeley so I graduated there, but did come back for graduation with Highlands friends. For 3 years I experienced the Berkeley scene, college campus, hippies, and craziness of 70's. I returned single again to Sacto, though my family had moved to Newcastle. I reunited with my high school boyfriend, Mike Hagans, and to this day we remain good friends. After many jobs, and a host of new Roseville friends, (& Chris Leppien), I moved to Kona, Hawaii in 1975. Imagine that back then, Kona was more like a village, simply a laid back life style, an ocean view daily. The experience remains close to heart even today. I returned to Sacto summer '76, and partied with new friends I met while working for Victoria Station and Lord Beaverbrooks. The years were passing me by, having way too much fun in the disco scene. At least I had finally begun classes at American River JC, but I found myself longing for Hawaii. In 1980 I returned to Oahu, where my father was born, it was in my blood, I guess. For several years I worked in Waikiki and Pearl Harbor area where I met my Navy sailor. By then I was attending Chaminade University, studying art and interior design. I graduated from college & in spite of his 6 month deployments, we married in Manoa Valley in 1986, secretly on Valentines Day, & again on June 21, first day of summer, longest day of the year! We lived in Nuuanu Valley for several years before moving to Okinawa, Japan in 1988. My husband Tony was a sensor operator on Navy P-3 aircraft, the "subhunters", and continued to be away. I was working as a graphic artist for the Marine Corps when we had our only child, Chase in 1989. Japan was a fantastic experience, I love the discipline, beauty, and culture, having had a taste of it in Hawaii. In 1991 we returned to San Diego and lived near Balboa Park, and then on the ocean in Coronado Island. I spent m...Expand for more