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Member: TMBTLT

CollectionsYour library (476)

Reviews1 review

Tagsamerican history (26), philosophy (19), reference (14), personal finance (10), economics (10), social science (10), self-help (9), anthology (8), political science (7), rhetoric (6) — see all tags

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About meI was born in Charleston,Illinois in 1943. I called it home until 1974. My first 8 years of schooling was at Eastern Illinois Laboratory School;then 4 years at Charleston High;then back to Eastern Illinois University where I majored in mathematics and minored in physics and chemistry. I taught at the high school level for 4 yearsafter graduation. First, a year at Oakwood Township High, Fithian, Ill.; 2 years at Woodstock Community High, Woodstock, Ill,and 1 year at Batavia High, Batavia,Ill. My teaching career was interrupted by the Viet Nam war and I ended up spending 4 years in the Air Force. After one more year of teaching at Newman Central High, Sterling, Ill., I moved to Washington State and began working with Pittsburg & Midway Coal on a research project to develop a clean buring coal called Solvent Refined Coal. After Regan was elected in 1980, our pilot project was cancelled and I was between careers for a while. I eventually ended up with the Washington State Department of Ecology where I have been for the last 22 years. I have spent all of that time with the Toxics Cleanup Progrsm dealing primarily with Underground Storage Tanks.
My wife, Sherri, is a watercolor artist and teacher. We met in Batavia, Illinois. She grew up in Northern, Illinois, Oak Park and Rosell and graduated from Northern Illinois University. We've been married 39 years and have 3 children; 2 daughters; 1 son. The oldest girl is an environmentalist, feminist, and liberal; the middle daughter is an environmentalist; non-feminist, and a conservative fundamental Christian; our son is right-wing conservative. The oldest daughter graduated from the University of Oregon with a major in environmental journalism, the other from Western Washington University with a major in environmental science. Our son chose the University of Hard-Knocks and is majoring in unmet expectations.
I should be retired but I won't be for several years perhaps 3 and then determine my options. I would like to volunteer as a reading teacher's assistant or maybe spend my time working with the various Friends of the Library here in Pierce County Washington. Moving anywhere on the Oregon coast would make my wife happy; me I'm voting for Portland, Oregon but Newport, Eugene, Corvallis and many other places in western Oregon would be fine. My first requirement for a place to retire is the quality of the library system. I would like to live in a college town or near one so I could audit courses and perhaps tutor students.

About my libraryMy collection started with the purpose of building a reference library for the teaching of math and physics and chemistry. I have never lost the thought of returning to teaching. My reading interests have never been toward fiction and I have purchased primarily non-fiction works, usually textbooks. My self-study was to find methods of presentation that would make the sudy of math and science easier to learn perhaps even ejoyable. Unfortunately, my interest in these areas is wanning and I'm spending much more time persuing other topics. My fields of interests range from psychology, sociology, american history, western civilization, philosopy, critical thinking, U.S. constitutional development, law as it relates to the constitution. Subjects I was never really interested during college. My reading now seems to be with biographies of the founding fathers and selected presidents. My reading list also includes fiction starting with reading all of Jane Austins books. I've re-read Pride and Prejudice. I thought Jane Fonda's biography was worth the time. I rewatched many of her movies as a result of her book. I love to browse books and visit bookstores and libraries. Most of my books have come from Goodwill, the Salavation Army, and Friends of the Library book sales.

Real nameJohn Melvin Bails

LocationPuyallup, Washington 98374

Favorite authorsNone

Account typepublic, lifetime

Connection NewsConnection News

URLs http://www.librarything.com/profile/TMBTLT (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/TMBTLT (library)

Common KnowledgeSeries (29), Awards (41), Characters (208), Places (66)

Member sinceOct 30, 2009