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First of all my best wishes to all for the Holiday Season. Although I have been sporatic in my contributions to the list I have managed for most part to read it regularly. It has been an excellent source of information and inspiration. I have gotten to know a few of you and have enjoyed your friendship. For those who do not know me I offer a brief BIO: Born Seattle, WA, 1941. Moved to S. Calif at 6 months so consider it my "Home State". Attended Reed College for two years majoring in social development which unfortunately was not in the curriculum. Facing the prospect of being drafted into the army and being a pacifist by nature I joined the Air Force (figure that one out!), where I remained until I decided what I wanted to do with my life, at which point I retired from the Air Force and went back to college where I am today. During my time in the Air Force I acquired a BA in Foreign Affairs, and flew on 175 combat missions in SEA for which I got 17 Air Medals and I was also the On-Scene Commander for the resue of Bat 21 for which I received the Distinguished Flying Cross and no Hollywood royalties. (BTW, Gene Hackman doesn't look too much like me.) I also persued normal recreational activities such as sky diving, scuba diving, mountain climbing, spelunking (climbing the INSIDE of a mountain)and sports car racing (Austin-Healy). I discovered computers in the late '70s about the same time the Air Force started using them in the workplace. Since nobody had experience in managing such systems, my unit paid for computer courses for a few of us. Before long I had almost enough credits for a degree in Information Systems. That's when I decided to retire and go back to college full-time. That was in 1987. In 1988 I was diagnosed with PD. Since then I have obtained a BS and a MS in Informations Systems, completed all my course work for a PhD, and am running out of steam. I have been teaching at the university since 1989. I enjoy teaching and from what feed-back I get I am well-liked by the students. But the off periods are occuring more frequently and are lasting longer. The voice is more monotone and less strong. And the memory definitely is not what it used to be. The ppressure is coming from with-in. The depatment chair who retired jusst before I got here also had PD, so my case was no novelty to the staff and faculty and they have been very helpful. But I know the time will come when I will make the call. It brings me comfort to know that there are those here who have faced what I am facing. To me that is the greatest benefit of this list. Sometimes (okay, a lot of the times) we get so wrapped up in living life at the micro-level that we get our heads stuck in the cockpit and loose sight of where we are going. But there always seems to be someone there to sound the warning horn. To update the analogy, we are all in the same aircraft together. Let us remember that..and that God must be our pilot. Well, my meds are off so I will again wish all of you peace and joy. Bruce (Air Force nickname "The Reverend") (Internet nickname "Starman"} * I am because I choose to be *