Excerpt

This book is addressed specifically to my grandchildren and their progeny, so that they will know about their great-grandfather.

A premie baby, with a ton of early-infant illnesses, I soon developed immunities to disease and now in my early eighties, am a reasonably healthy old codger. I regularly dance, play golf and volleyball as well as a solid game of tennis.

I grew up in a poor community. Our home, like most of our neighbors, did not even have an indoor toilet or bathroom. But we didnt notice, we were too busy just growing up.

I landed on Omaha Beach in World War II, fought through France and Belgium, returned home to earn a Masters degree before entering the food industry just as TV dinners and frozen meals were exploding onto the market.

For years, as a product development specialist, I was involved in creating many of the early TV dinners, frozen meat and fruit pies, and similar items.

Becoming a college professor in 1967, I developed specialized food courses, consulted for food firms and governments, created many first-time food items, including the Weight Watcher frozen meals, as well as many items for Kraft Foods and others.

In retirement, I continued my wide-ranging efforts, broadening my activities worldwide. I have friends in the international arena with whom I regularly correspond.

I am different from other men, I march to a different drummer. Im my own man. From childhood, Ive been an inventor, a problem solver.

As an author, I have six books in publication. I founded and directed a non-profit that has sent over 100,000 books to needy countries. Ive invented a popular word-learning game for ESL (English Second Language) learners which is in use nationwide.

Ive visited at least thirty foreign countries, often giving lectures or being part of a panel of experts. Ive been in most of the famous art museums in the world. Ive seen the opera Aida in Florence, Italy, and The Magic Flute in London. Ive visited all fifty USA states and have lived in sixteen.

I was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award from the Southern California Section of Food Technologists. Im a member of Mensa with an I.Q. score of 169. I have been honored for helping to fight against illiteracy in California.

Ive guided (and paid for!) the four-year college education of four children, including allowances for books, clothing, and spending, even giving each the round-trip airfare to Europe as a graduation present try to find another absentee father who has even come close to doing that!

Ive met my challenges head-on and won most of the battles. When Ive lost a skirmish, Ive learned from the experience.

Oh Yes! Ive done some pretty dumb things. I shouldnt have told a vice-president of one firm to go jump in the lake which led to my next-day termination!

I should have let my four children pay for most of their college expenses so they would have a better feel for what all was involved in that exercise.

But even with a number of dumb mistakes, Im quite content with my lot. Ive been lucky, as the title says.

All of these events, crammed into my 83 years (so far!), make a wonderful story for my great-grandchildren even for adults who want to compare lives with me.

So I say to my descendents, be like your great-grandfather so that when you are in your eighties you can compose a story like this one, that your grandchildren will enjoy reading.


1