Ray Simmons:  

I have lived in a few places when I was growing up and only knew that we moved because Dad was stationed at a new homeport. I was born in Coronado, Ca. After awhile we moved up to San Francisco, then Bremerton and back to San Francisco. In 1959 we moved to Novato and stayed there. My Mom and Dad died while living in Novato and my sister and brother still live there. I would move to Denver after I graduated from High School in order to attend College. After that almost fell through with troubles with the law and school, I had to move back to Novato. Then I enlisted in the Navy. So my address in the Navy took me back to San Diego, North Chicago, and back to the San Francisco Bay Area with multiple ports we would tie up to. I would end up in Mexico, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii as far as the extremes go. I would end up in Fairfield, Ca after I got out of the Navy. Moved to Minneapolis so we could be closer to my wifes family for awhile and persue our life together. We moved back to the Fairfield area after 5 years because the wife needed a change. We moved where we are now back in 1993. We moved to Dixon Ca because the small town atmosphere is what was appealling to us and thought it would be better for the kids. After 15 years here, I don't think we will move again. At least we don't plan on moving again. My hero would be my grandfather. J. P. Miranda Sr. He was an immigrant who came to America to realize his life's dream and did what it took to be sucessful. I remember our talks together when he would try to teach me about what to expect in life and how to deal with adversity. I miss him. I still had so much to learn when he died. But I keep him close to me and still can hear him talking to me. If I'm going to work somewhere, I need to have a cup of coffee to get my juices flowing, a good cd to listen to in order for my mind to get in the right place, and a ride with no traffic in either direction in order to stay as stress free as possible, to be able to deal with the day-to-day How do you hope old friends remember you? I hope they remember the good times, the laughter, the good feelings we had when we were together. That would include the Navy friends, acquaintances met through my brother and the Minnesota connection. What's the wildest thing you ever did in school? Well, that question makes me wonder what was wild and when it would be considered wild. I can remember when I was in Second Grade, I used to run behind the bus leaving the school and I would jump up on the rear bumper and grab on to the window edge. I would get a few blocks down and the bus lady would pull over and grab me. Busted... In Jr. High School, smoking in the field and I am not specifiing what was being smoked. High School would have been pretty much the same in Jr. High except it would have gone from the field to the car I drove to school in which was the 51 Studebaker Commander or the "tuna boat". I reserve the right to edit this as my memory allows more wildest things I did in high school comes back to me....Expand for more