I was born at 9:30 PM or so on December, 3rd 1956 in Austin, Texas. My parents moved to San Angelo, Texas about 3 months after that.

Went to elementary school (grades 1-6) from 1962-1966, to jr. high school (grades 7-9) from 1966-1969, and high school during the 71/72 school year then left home for personal reasons.

While gone I hitched hicked, and rode freight trains across the south, and the west coast. I worked in the produce feilds of California and did a lot of traveling. I met a lot of interesting people, there were a lot of guys returning from theVeitnamn War at that time (1972)), so hitch hiking wasn't a bad way to get around. It had its dangers, but there were a lot of people who supported the "hippie" lifestyle back then and you had a lot better odds of getting good rides..

This "hippie" lifestyle at the time was considered a social disgrace as the common bond among the majority of us was ending the unjust war being conducted by the "establishment". The goals of these hippies was peace and love. For the life of me, I can't understand why it was so violently opposed, but it was.

Granted, there were some unconventional, and also dangerous ways that "world peace and love" were pursued, but nothing compared to what I see happening with todays youth. There is nothing really for them to commit to, no noble purpose, no great evil to overcome, no great social wrong to right. There is only one choice for them today and it is "consume". It is necessary to "fit in" today (not through philosophy, or moral position but as a consumer, a purchaser), and that means having all the right clothes, shoes, hair styles, and body peircings.

It was different with the hippies. We made or own, grew our own, and went out and found our own. We were industrious, and self suffiecient. We challenged traditions not for the sake of challenge, but to find truth. It wasnt a fashion statemen, it was a lifestyle.

It is said that the 60's generation was a failure. Which I find odd because they can not seem to do without the essence of what we created as they force their products into our lives. They have taken our music (but not the spirit that produced that music), our philosophies (but not the sacrifices that produced those philosophies), and our discoveries (but not the paths that led to those discoveries) and converted them into prime time commercials.