Michael W. Knowles:
CLASS OF 1974
Alliance High SchoolClass of 1974
Alliance, OH
City College of San FranciscoClass of 1987
San francisco, CA
Kent State UniversityClass of 1983
Kent, OH
St. Thomas Aquinas High SchoolClass of 1974
Louisville, OH
Michael W.'s Story
Life
Such a fabulous life in under 2000 characters? Hardly even possible. My boxer/pit mix,'Jacob' is the most significant creature in my life. I've been in love and you can have it! Although partially disabled and semi-retired I am yet able to garden (my refuge from the insanity of this world)-as well as occasional horticultural consulting.
Since spring of 2002 I have been a columnist for The West County Gazette, a liberal local monthly publication. My column is called Dirty Little Secrets. I think that he title speaks for itself. Once a revolutionary and sh*t disturber, always a revolutionary and sh*t disturber. I am also an editor for The Urban Dictionary.
I speak Spanish (what choice do I have? Press 1 for English, press 2 for Spanish...) and Yiddish. Oy! (No khoupie, no shtupie.) I also 'speak' sign language/manual communication. And, I am learning Hebrew like a good little Yid.
Living in a small, rural, liberal, funky, freaky, cool, weird, tweaky, twisted, diverse No Cal summer resort community is for me. Sonoma County is the best place on earth: the ocean, the Russian River (it's literally in my back yard, well, through the gate, through my garden...and then the beach,) the geysers, the majestic towering redwoods, fog, earthquakes, floods, landslides, fires, 6 months of rain-6 without. I am grateful to G-d that my vocations are also my favorite past-times.
Shalom. Although I do not live in Israel, Israel lives in me.
School
After over 30 years I am still in contact with a few friends from Alliance...at least those who are still alive. We communicate regularly and have been known to visit face to face. For what it's worth, my life's experience in Helliance was barely endurable. I tolerated my youth by abusing drugs and alcohol...with the wrong people at the wrong time and in the wrong places. Ever see "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion?" Well, I'd sooner eat dirt than have a reunion with those I so desperately wanted to be away from...the further the better!...most of my family included! No resentment here...just gratitude. I wondered why I was born in such a place at such a time with such meshugina people. Oy Gevalt. A shande!
College
At Kent State I studied earth sciences, anarchy, civil disobedience, women's rig...Expand for more
hts, gay rights, (lots of sex with both!) ah, reggae, lots of drugs and demonstrations. I also learned how to misdirect the "authorities" and was a general pain in the ass to the "straight students" like jocks and right-winged christians, bigots and red-necks for example. At CCSF I got serious and got 2 degrees in Horticulture and began my studies in earnest of both Anthroplogy and English. (Like writing and proof reading...duh.) I also watched scores of my friends and classmates die from aids. That took up a lot of time too. But, that's life in San Francisco. Take it or leave it...
Workplace
It's fairly straight forward...my work history consists of little else but "the hospitality industry" (and THAT ended almost 20 yrs. ago,) being a student (which yet continues,) well over 14 years of self-employment as a horticultural consultant, writing and "Living simply so that others may simply live."
(Excuse me- but that is a rather arrogant attitude. After all, isn't the cost of living (G*d that sounds pitiful) in Northern California (the North Bay) as high as a cat's back? Well, ya git what ya pays fer. This is not a exactly the dregs of society here in Norhtern California. We DO have a reputation to uphold and enforce...We SHOULD be a separate state from "down there." Schwartznegger can stay in Hell-A. It's those fools "down there" who elected him anyway. We DO NOT care for him anymore than we do the man who was (not) elected for a second term. And, the folks in Ohio have some involvement in the recent (2004) "Election" fiasco. Just like Florida did in the previous so called "Presidential Election." And, what's up with all these Alliance people moving to Florida anyway? What, California not good enough for you? Well, you'd probably opt for some sh*t-hole in Sounthern California...did I mention that WE NORTHERN CALIFORNAINS DO NOT CARE MUCH FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND IT'S ILK?)
So, suffice it to say that a respectable job with an appropriate salary and comprehensive health benefits would behoove anyone in becoming established in No. Cal. Wait. Just stay where you are. Make some other arrangements. you may come for holiday though and bring LOTS of money to help keep our economy fluid.
Military
Right! Like I would make a good soldier! That's very amusing.
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