Two next door state neighbors in a row... Who's next, Izzo? That's fine with me, good people are good people, doesn't matter where they're from, and I've always liked Wisconsin anyway. And Izzo... I wouldn't have a problem with that, either. Lot of fine folk on this forum, met several, hope to meet several more.
John S is married..........ooops, no he is not. Sorry. That did not work out. (He blames the Army.)
John S got married for a second time and ........... DAMN! Never mind. That did not work out either. (He blames just plain bad judgement.)
It is said that "three times is a charm", let's see what number John S gets up to.
John S got married again. <I am suspiciously looking both ways. No divorce? GOOD!> Ah ahem, John S is happily married to his dream gal. He has 2 children. A 13 year old son and a 17 year old daughter.
His hobby is being an armchair historian mainly with respect to military history.
He has particular interest in political science as well as languages.
In addition, there is a strong affinity toward fountain pens that he uses regularly. He even has a small collection of classical fountain pens. As it would follow, he is a "...die-hard..." fan for proper penmanship.
One of his dreams is to be a writer. More specifically, to be a failed writer of old-school detective stories a few of which he has actually already written (nothing published as of yet). Occasionally John will pull the stories out and revise them. Or take a theme in one story and apply it to a new tale.
Being a huge fan of HP Lovecraft's horror stories from the bygone years, he incorporates Lovecraft's themes into his detective stories.
John was in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) from 1981 - 1984 in MOS 0811 (Field Artillery Batteryman), at the rank of Corporal. He served at Parris Island SC, Camp Lejeune, NC, Camp Foster - Okinawa, and Camp Pendleton, CA.
From 1985 to 1992 he was in the US Army, in MOS 54B (Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare Specialist), at the rank of Sergeant. Fort McClellan, AL, Fort Lewis, WA, Fulda-Germany, Fort Polk, LA. In Germany he was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment guarding the border between East and West Germany, and moonlighted as a Driver and Loader in M1A1 Abrams tanks.
John is very proud of his father (among other things) for dad served in the United States Air Force (USAF) as a Tail Gunner in B-52 bombers. Sadly, dad died in a crash during a 1967 training exercise. It was for this reason John decided to go into the military - the USAF in particular - to follow in his father's footsteps until a few Marines showed up and well, you know the rest of the story. USMC here I come.
Though John sees himself as "...just plain John." and says "...I'm incredibly average...,", I see it differently. Get this...
John has a massive claim to fame storage warehouse of what he calls useless knowledge. Similar to his mother's massive broad spectrum of knowledge, so much so, others will not play with John or his mother in a variety of games. There just was no chance of others winning. Trivial Pursuit? Not going to happen. They would stomp everyone into the ground. You talk about an embarrassing battlefield massacre... If they "even the odds" by being on opposing sides in a game be it Trivial Pursuit or whatever.... well, that will not happen since they would only cancel each other out.
Do you have a question about World War II army tanks? Various pieces of Japanese samurai armor? How to wear the armor properly? Ask John. He has it all down pat. Languages? He picks them up like a dry sponge (or Spongebob, take your pick). Fluent in English and easily gets by with French. German? Easy. Russian? Yup! (At least enough to order a lot of alcohol and start a fight!) How about Japanese? Ahh, yes, he says in the spoken word but not in writing Japanese. He hastens to add ... "I'm not that insane".
How about reenactments? Yup! John's done it and big time.
He was involved in both "Mountain Men" and Medieval reenactments. His Medieval reenactments span for about 2 decades with the Society of Creative Anachronism. Over the years he has also become a passable fighter in the field as well as a tailor making 12th and 13th century clothing.
As a fighter, he took part in both single combat and mass battles . Over the years he racked up one concussion, a cracked collarbone, and two cracked ribs. All while wearing mighty steel armor and helmets. When you being hit with death blows, it is like getting whacked with a 36 ounce baseball bat so these reenactments are not considered a gentle hobby with love taps. You need to practically be able to take an incoming direct hit on the noggin from a 220 mm Howitzer shell. YIKES!
As John aged, becoming old and slower, he has hung up his perfect but bloody sword replica. He has kept his helmet and some armor nearby should the urge to get the crap beat out of him arises again.
He does not consider himself a gun collector but does own a .50 caliber flintlock black powder rifle that was often used in his Mountain Man reenactments. As well as a 1945 issue M-1 Garand rifle that could use a better grade barrel though it is still a decent "shooter".
Last but not least, you would not want to challenge John to Tomahawk throwing because to put it simply, you would lose. And before you ask, (since I already did), John was not the Tomahawk thrower you saw on Johnny Carson years back nailing the wooden replica of a man standing, square in the nuts. John would have nailed the guy in the chest splitting it wide open.
Coming back from a nostalgia walk with John, he is currently a Clinical Staffing Coordinator for a large Catholic Hospital which interestingly enough includes working the hospitals Morgue, signing over bodies to funeral homes for disposal.
Motorcycle wise, our friend John started riding in 1980, a year before he graduated from high school. His 1st motorcycle was a mid-70’s Yamaha 125 in terrible unrideable condition (but he rode it anyway, using a repurposed bicycle brake lever for the clutch...).
He has since owned a Yamaha 125, a Sportser, and more recently a Yamaha 750 Seca. The Sportser he owned for 2 years while he was stationed in Camp Lejeune but hastens to add, it was his favorite bike. He purchased it from a Marine when he got to Lejeune and sold it to another Marine when he left the camp. It was sort of a hooker in a one-hooker town; it got passed around a lot.
Presently, John is sans a bike. Nope. No ride. He sold his Yamaha Seca a few years ago and with times being what they are, the cost of a new bike is a bit out of reach. Though when buying is back on the radar, it will likely be another Sportser or an Indian Scout.
When asked about his most memorable or epic ride has been so far, he laughed and said, it is not so “epic” but his most memorable ride was riding his Sportster from North Carolina to Alabama while he was on leave. It was an AMAZING ride where he is pretty sure he did some permanent back and kidney damage to himself; he says wryly.
From the HDF Staff, CONGRATULATIONS John S!
~ If anyone has a future MOM recommendation, kindly PM BuzzCap7. Thank you. ~
Last edited by BuzzCap7; 12-30-2020 at 12:40 PM.
Reason: Month correction.
11-03-2020, 10:34 AM
That's fine with me, good people are good people, doesn't matter where they're from, and I've always liked Wisconsin anyway. And Izzo... I wouldn't have a problem with that, either. Lot of fine folk on this forum, met several, hope to meet several more.
