Ken Gettys:  

I am retired now and volunteering at the Center 50 Plus in Salem, Oregon. I teach basic computer and Internet classes. I also help out on Fridays and Saturdays at the Center's free Question and Answer sessions where seniors can ask questions and also get their computers repaired for free. Salem is a lot like Sacramento being it is also a state capital, next to a major river (the Willamette River), has a smaller city to the north also starting with "Wood" (as in Woodburn), is close to the mountains in the east and closer to the Pacific Ocean in the west. And it has a larger big sister city 45 miles to the North, Portland. Unlike Sacramento, Salem is much smaller (maybe 20 sq miles), and a whole lot prettier (being surrounded by very green farm lands!). Yes it rains more in Salem however it never gets over 100 (for more than a day or two a year) and it does snow a little here (first time this winter and it is already half past January). And Salem only has one adjoining city, Keizer (which is much smaller than any of the other cities adjoined to Sacramento). All in All, I love Oregon and so glad I moved out of the Bay Area 12 years ago! How do you hope old friends remember you? A: Tall skinny, nerdy guy. I always wanted to be... A: a college grad when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a impossible idea. As it turns out, they were wrong as I got my BA from Sac State in 1975. How do you blow off steam? Describe your favorite way to relax. A: I work out 4 times week. What's the wildest thing you ever did in school? A: Drove a bull dozer in the middle of the night that was used to the construct the swimming pool at Foothill Sr High. I use to take long walks and happened to be around that night and the keys were in it... Only drove it a few feet but what a joy ride! If I'm going to work somewhere, I need to have , , and to be able to deal with the day-to-day. A: Darn and here I have been trying to retire since high school (just don't tell my boss). Do you have a hero? Talk about where your inspiration comes from. A: My mother is also a volunteer teacher at the Senior Center in Sacramento so when I retired, to keep from going crazy, I also volunteer here in Salem. Where have you lived? Why did you move? A: From Sacramento to the SF Bay Area in 1981 (for a career working with computers) then from the SF Bay Area to Oregon in 1999 (to get away from the computer career and the tons of people in California). I lived in NYC for 6 months working on installed computers into two new security center in the World Trade Center towers in 1997. I also installed a center in Trinidad/Tobago; Dallas/Fort Worth; and Washington DC. I also lived in a small town in South/Central Oregon being the computer department for a small regional hospital before moving to Salem 7 years ago. The one person from my past who I'd most like to see again is , because . A: Lots of people (mostly women) in my past I would love to find out how their lives have been going. Hope they are all very happy and doing good for others (not in the order :-)! Sports. Reality TV. Pets. A: <<< none of those. I don't watch TV, chat on the Internet, and rarely answer the phone. And I don't smoke, drink, or swear...Expand for more