My wife, Geri, Herb Alf, and me in Roseburg, Oregon, 2003. Herb is one of my heroes and the man whose philosophy guides my work.
Another day in the life of a Working Class Dog. Today, I signed a contract to teach three hours a night, in addition to my day job. Why? The renumeration of five thousand dollars over twelve weeks. I'll be teaching US Government to seniors at night school till the end of the school year. Why? To help finance my second career as a writer. I have yet to see the glamour associated with the field of professional writing. However, I'm not giving up. As my mentor and good friend, Herb Alf, told me a few years back: "Success is more about PERSERVERANCE than it is about intelligence". Herb should know. He was a child of the great Depression, a man who rode the rails as a hobo and then became a B-17 pilot. Shot down, he began a new journey as a prisoner of war. All I have to do is think of Herb, and it gives me the strength to press on.
Herb, you taught me a lesson that has sustained me ever since. I miss you, my friend. And in your honor, I will never tire and never give up.
