Hermann Miskelly:  

So here most of us are at 65 (WOW! I really did not expect to make it this far) and, like me, you are probably looking back going, "Wow, that sure didn't turn out like I'd planned". That is not a bad thing since, let's be honest, how much did we really know when we were 18? Life did not turn out as planned and I am okay with that. I have never been more contented than I am now. Where am I now and how did I get here? Well, over the intervening 47 years I've been up and down, professionally and relationship wise. I am happily married to Denise for 6 years now, though we have been together for 16 years. We own a house out near New Market. A life in the country was definitely not planned when I got out of high school! I have one daughter of my own and three step-daughters. All are amazing and truly surprise me continuously. I am also a four-time grandfather, my daughter having a two girls and my middle step-daughter also having two girls. To be honest, I really do not feel old enough to be a grandfather, but I am sure I'll do just fine. Professionally things went as planned, at least initially. I graduated from UAH with an engineering degree and worked for more than twenty years in the aerospace/defense industry as a design engineer. Then about fifteen years I switched professions and became a manufacturing/business consultant working with more industries and markets than I could have ever imagined. When the consulting business collapsed with the economy in 2008 I went to work with one of my former clients and have been with them since then, basically doing what I did as a consultant - though with benefits and promotions. One thing I learned the hard way over my life is that the most important thing about life is the people you live and work with. Once I let go of my ego and ambition and focused on working as a tea...Expand for more