Tim Peter:  

the road a ways. Best of all were my 5 yrs at John Brown University Arkansas. I finally began college again in 1989, after several years of searching & applying. I remember in the summer of '89 after telling my friends I was moving to Arkansas, some actually asked, "Do you even know where that is?" (I have a feeling they didn't know, but of course I did!) JBU is a small, private Christian liberal arts college with 60+ undergrad programs and 3-4 grad programs as well. (It's named for John E. Brown, a radio preacher and traveling evangelist of the late 19th & early 20th centuries, NOT John Brown the Abolitionist!) I always enjoy hearing from JBU folks!! Plz write!!! :) Workplace There really isn't much to say. I have a horrible track record when it comes to work, usually not lasting more than 3-4 months at each job. It's so dismal that I don't even want to talk about it! However, I'm beginning to get serious about looking for work again after living on disability income for too long. If something exciting comes up, I'll be sure to mention it. Military Now here's a story I don't wanna tell the grandkids (not like I'll have any!). I joined the Navy in 1983, hoping to make it a career. As a young, devout, fired-up Christian, I wanted nothing more than to become a pastor & preach God's word. When Bible college ended abruptly, I thought the Navy would be a good way to pay for my education and help me get stable again. So I enlisted, hoping to succeed and get enough money to pay my way all the way through seminary. NOT!! Along w/ being a Christian, I was also wrestling w/ the idea that I might be gay. And the two did not mix! I fought against it all my life (more about that in my life profile), and even in the Navy, I was turned on by all the good looking sailors around me (I still enjoy looking at them -- esp now that I'm in a big Navy town!), while hating myself for it the whole time. My life was in turmoil and I didn't know what to do! So I turned to one of my Christian sailor buddies, seeking support & encouragement. At first, I got it, but after a while, he decided he couldn't help me any longer. Instead, he reported me for being gay. At my discharge hearing, I explained my faith and how I'd fought against my homosexuality all my life, but that wasn't good enough for them. They decided they didn't want me there, so they discharged me for fraudulent enlistment. (That was back when they were allowed to ask about gay sex, which they can't do now.) Aside from all the personal drama, I enjoyed it. Of course I struggled thru boot camp -- who doesn't!? But when I got to my 1st school (just across the base from boot camp), things were much different. I made a few friends in the company and my Co. Commander was a pretty cool guy, though I don't remember anything about them now. I was in Great Lakes, IL, for 3 mos., w/ lotsa mixed feelings about it all. But then came my first duty station: NAVCHAPGRU. Everyone knew that I wanted to be a preacher, so when I got orders at the end of sch. we automatically assumed it was a chaplain's unit, based on the initials. Instead, it turned out to be much different, but a good experience overall (except for the discharge). The letters were an acronym for Navy Cargo Handling and Port Group, a supply station in Williamsburg, VA, and an annex of the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station. One of the best things about being there was that I got a FREE pass to all the tourist sites in Williamsburg because I was considered a resident of the city. So while everyone else stood in line for hours waiting to pay admission, I got to walk right up to the front, show my pass and go on in. That was fun, since I like history so much. I really enjoyed touring the city then, and dining in the historic (or not so) taverns.