My name is Mike. I'm originally from Pennsylvania but I can also claim Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia as home too. I'm soon to be 47 (you can do the math to figure out my birth year) and have found myself back in Pennsylvania. I'm a Navy veteran and did tours of duty in Kosovo and twice in support of the Iraq War (for the record I'm anti-war). I was an Aerographer's Mate in the service (a weather forecaster). I did 20 years in the Navy and then retired (and am glad to be out). I went back to college and earned a degree in Health Information Management and now work as a data clerk in the medical records department of a clinic in Scranton. I'm also a member of Veterans for Peace. I campaigned for Barack Obama in 2008. I ran the Veteran's group and had 150 veteran supporters in Montgomery County PA. I got to personally meet the President at Montgomery County Community College. I like the guy. I just wish he had a Congress that knew more than how to say "no". He could have been the Kennedy of my generation. I also got to meet John Kerry. I grew up on the music of the 60s and it influenced a lot of my thinking. Jim Morrison and The Doors are my absolute favorite musician from that era. I'm a liberal in a mostly conservative family (my wife's family is ultra-conservative) but, in a ironic twist, I'm also the only one who served in the military. Strange isn't it? I thought that my job was to protect those who couldn't fight for themselves but really it was about corporations making money. My hobbies are listening to music, reading, movies, and I'm a beginning astronomer. I'm looking forward to talking with all of you. Peace!
