James Slayden:
CLASS OF 1980
University High SchoolClass of 1980
Los angeles, CA
James's Story
As most of you may know I actually didn't graduate from Uni, but I call Uni my graduating high school as I was closer to the people there than from where I graduated in Chicago, Ill. Knowing some of you since Emerson Jr. High, or even Bellagio Road Elementry here is an update of my life.
I moved to a suburb of Chicago Illinois the summer after 10th grade, and didn't know a soul. No surfing, no volleyball, and well the girls, they just weren't Cali girls!! But music was a solace and I got into Punk Rock, which at that time in Chicago didn't go over very well. At the end of my 11th grade year I found some skateboarders to hang with and getting into trouble. ;-) I barely graduated due to not going to school much, although my skating got really good! Then my family moved back to Los Angeles and ended up in the South Bay city of Palos Verdes. I went to several years of school at Harbor JC, really getting into the L.A./South Bay punk scene and meeting my former wife. I dropped out of school and we decided to move around a bit. Long Beach, Palos Verdes, Washington State, San Clemente, then back to San Pedro before I enlisted in the US Air Force. By that time we had a daughter and only being 20 with no degree and not being able to find a job as a Draftsman/Designer, we decided on the military.
It was a good choice, but although we wanted to go to some foreign country and experience a new culture, they sent me back to northern California. Go figure?! By then we were living in San Jose California and I finished my tour of duty in a top secret military installation. No...Expand for more
pe, I can't tell ya what I did! >:-\ I then got a job a NASA in the SF bay area again working in top secret environments, then got an opportunity to work at the NASA Science Internet - the pre-cursor to the Internet as we know it. Eventually I worked my way up to becoming a Internet Network Engineer and the head engineer for the NASA Science Internet. During this time I had a son, and, unfortunately my marriage dissolved. I then got a job in the commercial Internet (Internet as we know it) and helped design and develop the first cross country high bandwidth transmission service for the Internet.
Then the Internet industry blew up and I was one of the many without work. I worked off and on in technology for several years; Wireless Network Engineer, Home Internet Networking Consulting and also various odd jobs. Then I came across some training in the alternative health industry and decided I needed a change and wanted to do something a bit more helpful to the world and people. I now have been in practice for over 5 years and help those who have Diabetic and Peripheral Neuropathy. It's a great feeling to know that what I do is a benefit to others.
I have two GREAT adult children from my former marriage. I am also a Grandpa for the third time from my wonderful daughter. My son is at UCSB doing great in school and is a high level long distance Bicycle competitor a la Lance Armstrong. I have a great life with lots of activities I am involved in outside of my practice. Oh, and if your wondering ...... I STILL SURF, although the no more skateboarding or volleyball.
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