My name is Arthur Ruger. I live on the corner of  Coeur D Alene and the Spokane River.

I have a bunch of thoughts about growing older,

about the transition from full time employment to full time retirement

I am opinionated but consider myself thoughtful and somewhat prepared to discuss my views ... which tend to be direct, blunt and at times downright rude.

I try to be tactful but do not always succeed. There are multiple points of view and mine is not the most perfect … but then neither is yours.

But now I have opinions about the agony and ecstasy of aging ... both gracefully and clumsily.

I was born in 1946 and raised in a Mormon community in Southeastern Idaho.

I left home at age 19 to be a Spanish-speaking Mormon missionary in Texas and New Mexico.

In 1968 after the missionary work I moved to Texas.

After a year I enlisted in the USAF

I served six years active duty and two years in the Reserve. I served as a Russian linguist.

Upon receiving an honorable discharge in 1975 I moved my family to Texas where I toyed with the idea of law school and completed my BA in Russian Studies at the University of Houston. Decided against law school (a mistake in my opinion), turned down offers from government agencies and took my liberal arts degree job hunting on the streets of Houston, Texas.

I sold insurance, furniture and eventually temporary labor.

In 1979 I moved my family to Portland in the Great Northwest.

I eventually became a professional dispatcher for an assortment of trucking companies.

After being caught in layoffs several times, I left trucking and in 1987 became a Prudential Insurance Agent for three years.

I then went into business for myself as a contract interpreter offering services in Spanish and Russian. I ultimately accepted a position as a tri-lingual case worker for the State of Washington and never changed jobs again.

I retired in 2011.

I have lived in Idaho, Texas, New York state, Japan, Okinawa, California, Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon and Washington state.

I am happily married 24 years to one of the few persons who can both manage and tolerate my curmudgeon-ness. I am also the father of five, step-father of three and grandfather to 20+ grandchildren.

I … I … I … I …

Am I the only person I want to talk about?

We'll see.