TIMOTHY JOHNSON:
CLASS OF 1978
Truman High SchoolClass of 1978
Taylor, MI
Taylor Junior High SchoolClass of 1975
Taylor, MI
Brake Middle SchoolClass of 1972
Taylor, MI
Randall Elementary SchoolClass of 1971
Taylor, MI
Wareing Elementary SchoolClass of 1966
Taylor, MI
TIMOTHY's Story
BACK AFTER THE ELECTIONS. I am back. Getting ready for the 2024 elections.
Chronological with newest news at the end.
so i am way too cheap to pay the $20 something for this site. if you really need to contact me do leave a note
UPDATED NOVEMBER 27, 2020--I TOOK THE DEAL 24 MONTHS FOR $1.50 PER MONTH.
Having traveled since graduation, I am curious where others might have been?
My big trip was the cross-country bicycle trip in 1982. I have also been to Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Florida with Vision Quest. I have taught in Wisconsin, Michigan, AND now North Carolina and now back in Michigan.
I spent a summer in Boulder Colorado at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics.
Ready to get back on the road this summer!
Life
The days of Truman, McConnell, and Friday Night Football. This year (2024) will be the 46th anniversary of my graduation. I wish there were some things to regret, heck I would settle for having a few things to remember with fondness. I do think of the system known as education quite often. Since my graduation I have become consumed, (may be the word is obsessed) with the method we humans have chosen to use when teaching others knowledge. I had never dreamed I would one day be concerned with the educational process.
I have been to college, undergrad degree in special education, and now look forward to re-writing the book on learning. Though I joke about the condition of Taylor Schools, (I even taught there for 2 years as a substitute) the reality is that ALL school systems are like Taylor's and Taylor is like like ALL others. And what does this all have to do with life?? Just that we tend to get from life what we put in to it. We can only fully participate once we have LEARNED how to think (this is coming from me?
School
After high school I went to work in the steel mill in Trenton. I started WC3 in the fall of 1978 before dropping out to Ride my bicycle across AMERICA. I returned to WC3 in 1989, graduating with honors in the Fall of 1991 when I enrolled at Eastern Michigan University. I graduated with honors from EMU in the Spring of 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Education and Language Arts.
I attended the Summer Writing Program at the School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa in Boulder Colorado during the summer of 1997 before returning to Michigan and teaching. I attended Central Michigan University (Troy Campus) and studied humanities.
I recently completed the licensing requirements for real estate in 2004. WHICH I QUICKLY LEARNED WAS 3 STEPS LOWER THAN A USED CAR SALES-PERSON.
2003--2009
What a difference the years make! After 15 years as a special education teacher of the emotionally impaired, and living in 5 states, I am back in Michigan, married with 3 step-daughters and SIX grandchildren!! Added a great grand daughter last year (2021).
OMG!
Lived in Redford restoring a 1923 bungalow in the Arts and Crafts style when the bubble was blown to bits. Lost way too much and was drowning UPSIDE down. SO we loaded up the truck and moved to NC..
2009-2012
I am currently back in the education game teaching is a small RURAL town south of Raleigh NC....
2012--20219
UPDATE---what else does a teacher do but teach. Those who can will do...others just get by. After 2 years in Pontiac I am now "back" in Detroit doing what I love.
UPDATED UPDATE--
Been in NC since 2009. Finally stabilized financially and returning to Michigan in July 2012.
2013
After 21 years, my daughter has contacted me. Long story short, this has made my life all that more FANTASTIC.
BUT THAT WAS EXTREMELY SHORT LIVED..
Latest UPDATES--
2006-2009
WOW...time is really fleeting. Currently looking to relocate to the country. Preferably OUT of Michigan. Teaching in Lenawee County driving a little Zuke Samurai (40 mpg).
2009---UPDATED UPDATE---
Left Michigan 02-09 for better environment. Hoping to complete what work(s) I have left to do before becoming dust and worm food...
LOVE YA ALL...
2010-----Latest updates for y'all---
Been sunnin and funnin here in North Carolina for awhile. Some of the best seafood to be found at the OBX.
The mountains are beautiful and the Eastern BBQ is great. If you get to Durham (think Bulls) and need some real BBQ, stop at the Backyard there on NC 55 about a mile or so south of I-40 there on the right hand side. Greens to die for and mac 'n cheese like grandma would make.
Dumped the gasser truck and went diesel. Veggie oil forever...
Can't wait to see the wide open west next year when we travel to Glacier NP and on south to Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain and Grand Canyon. THANK YOU KEN BURNS!
And did I say it's HOT and HUMID here?
Beats the crap* out of shoveling SNOW...
UPDATE 2011
Done with education. The government is taking away most of the funding.
The web site is down, at least for now. We DID have the Brighton tea company and still working on My Sun Benders...
Also our blog
CURRENTLY coming out of the COMMA
UPDATE 2012
Took the site down in May 2012. the Blue Road Blogger book. We will be revising the content this summer. Mary has taken a job in real estate as an appraiser. Our big escape of 2013 will be delayed a little while.
I will be unemployed in July (by choice and looking forward to it!!) and want to do some advocacy work or writing.
I just looked below my profile and there is a story wizard prompt asking "How do I hope my old friends remember you?"
That is a tough question. I guess I really do not care how my old friends remember me. The days in high school were really bizarre. What we did then, I w...Expand for more
ould never wish on anyone else. From what I hear, there are quite a few people from high school who have NEVER moved on. Too many are still smoking, drinking and generally just being idiots.
I know most of my friends think I was some idiot whack job as well. It was high school after all.
It is more important to me what my NEW friends will think of me. I believe that 62 years of existence on this planet has taught me way more than any high school did. High school was pointless. After teaching 27 years, I believe it is still pointless. It is a breeding ground for egos, hatred, and oppression. There is no way to avoid this.
High school is also a great place for us to try on various roles and experience life from different perspectives. High school however is NOT a defining moment in one's life.
Surprisingly I has taken me the greater part of the last 3 years to finally accept this and understand it for what it is. I have always known your family would never let you forget the past. I naturally believed high school was also continuing to define who were are.
When I read the story wizard prompt, I realized that although I was not caught up in "what they thought," I was consumed by what I was and had done in high school. My past was directing my present and my future was refusing to be associated with my dreams. Whether or not it made sense, it was the current mind set I had been in for several years. I guess the best analogical explanation is the quote of how a prophet has no honor in his home town.
UPDATE 2012 (JUNE)
Ready to move back into Michigan. We found a place in Brighton just outside of town. I will be teaching in DETROIT--OMG, why?
Mostly for the money. We will spend the weekends traveling the lower and the summers going west and southwest in the USA.
STARDATE: 2012-08-15
Completed my graduate program at Campbell University (Buies Creek, NC) for Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) AKA Talented and Gifted TAG) in Michigan.
Started looking at Master programs--OUCH--almost $2000 per class? And I need 10-13 classes?
I have found a great university that has graduate classes at the rate of $212 per hour!
March 2013
Left Detroit and heading to the west side of the state.
The west side of Michigan is a nice place to visit. But as for living there...you have be either Dutch descent or ultra conservative.
2014
Tired of the nonsense and oppression, I have decided to run for office. I am starting my campaign for State House of Representatives district 42.
January 2015
So the elections of 2014 went as expected. Running progressive in Tea Party Country is tough. Though I had the best showing for any Democratic running for the House in this district.
Melissa is building the Brighton Tea Company. It has come a long way since last year.
Looking for some great changes this coming year. Seems a lot of my friends have developed the big ugly "C" and most were sudden and swift. I despise MONSANTO and KOCH BROTHERS!
When does the revolution start? Some are not going to wait much longer for the first shot.
2015--2020
HOLY PLUCKEN SHEET! Another 5 years have gone by the way side.
Had been running 7 schools in Detroit--special education. Tired of driving 150--200 miles everyday so I went for green pastures in Oakland County in 2018.
The residential facility was a JOKE and when COVID arrived it all shut down for in-person instruction.
Jumped on the unemployment enhanced benefits for a few months before grabbing another circus job in Redford,
2020-2021 contracted with an agency out of Californication and waiting on retirement in 2022.
We sold the best truck in the world (1998 Dodge Cummins) and our 5th wheel only to turn around 3 years later and buy a 2018 GDRV and a F-150 Coyote 4 x 4,
Made it to Devil's Tower in 2019 and spent time on the Wall (aka Nomad's View) in South Dakota.
Covid kept us in state in 2020, though we did get in some quality time on the Lake Superior shore in Ontonagon.
As for the near future, we are hoping Covid is gone by June of 2021 and we are able to head back out west to Montana, Idaho and Utah for the summer.
Long term we are looking at "retiring" to New Mexico or the latest BLUE state of Arizona (Lake is an dolt extraordinaire) by 2022 / 2023 and teach / travel the winters and come back to the Midwest for the summers.
In the meantime, there are still those who deserve a more detailed story line, but will never hear it simply because they are unable (unwilling) to hear the truth.
October 30, 2022
Retirement was within my grasp. I thought for sure there was no way I was going to give this up. Then comes Covid, chlorine bleach and 1/6 (aka insurrection and treason).
Suddenly everything was in doubt. The country was either dying (if you were southern conservative of just plain stubborn conservative) or the same folks were anxious to attack the government simply to keep a fascist dictator in office.
As I prepared for my departure from being a wage slave, the employer throws a stupid amount of money on the table and I agree to stay, maximum 3 years. 2023-2024will be the third year. Now we are looking at a bug-out site and stocking up on supplies. The travel trailer is outfitted with a ridiculously large solar system and the truck is off grid ready to wait out the "war" and the eradication of Q and those who talk junk with the proud boys and MTG.
Since my last up date and travels to Wyoming, we have been basically confined to Michigan and the state and national forests.
STAY STRONG MY BERNERS and vote this ROE-VEMBER!!
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