Most Recent

Recently, I've gone somewhere, done something, or seen something amazing I've shared in these pages. Here, you'll find my most recent posts, covering a wide range of topics that pique my interest. Whether you're passionate about travel, captivated by photography, enchanted by music, or intrigued by computer programming, there's likely to be something here for everyone!

Dive in and explore the latest insights, stories, and adventures that I have to share. Enjoy your stay!

74

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 4/8/2025		Page Views: 12
Hashtags: #Autobiography
74 years proving that wit doesn't come with an expiration date (and a half-wit, less so).

To be honest, last year at this time I wasn't at all convinced I would make it another year. (I thought the same, the year before.) I hadn't yet gotten my hip replacement scheduled, and every step I attempted was exhausting and painful. My blood pressure was very low (except when it was very high); my electrolytes were out of balance and my body had swollen with edema to the point of serious discomfort.

A Bear Story

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 7/14/1979 Posted: 4/7/2025		Page Views: 1
A camping trip with a hairy finish.

My co-op buddies and I made a number of hiking trips; we drove to the mountains almost every weekend. Mike knew how to look up hiking trails and would then recommend one. Dick knew how to make arbitrarily long tents out of sheets of plastic, clamps, and ties to nearby trees. But one of these trips stands out, because it was the occurrence of my first Bear Encounter.

Uneasy Rider

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 6/5/1978 Posted: 4/6/2025		Page Views: 15
How I arrived at my cooperative eduction job, discovered new friends and rediscovered hiking.

So, you might recall I had bought a motorcycle when we lived in Bakersville, which I used to commute to the junior college in Palatka. I still had it, and the plan was for me to drive it to Washington to start my cooperative education terms there. That would leave my wife with the car, since she and the kids would be remaining behind in Pensacola for the 6 months I'd be gone. This was because I was coming back, and I simply didn't have the money to move the six of us to another state for such a short time. Besides, we had a lease; and for that many people we'd need to rent an apartment, and such apartments also required a years' lease. So, it was off on my motorcycle I went.

Pills, Pills, Pills

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/29/2025 Updated: 3/29/2025		Page Views: 26
What I'm taking, and why.

In the pursuit of optimal health, longevity, and performance, I've developed a carefully structured supplement and prescription routine. Each component in my regimen has been chosen for its benefits�ranging from cardiovascular health to cognitive function, inflammation control, and cellular regeneration. This post breaks down everything I take daily, why I take it, and how I schedule them for maximum efficacy.

Raiders of the Lost Boxes

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 3/28/2025		Page Views: 117
We've moved into yet another house!

Goodbye to the old house, and into the new! It served us well, having been home to my daughter, Jenny, and her kids Zach, Gianna and Dominic, as well as myself, for several years. But Zach is now grown and has a house of his own; it was time to downsize, into this lovely little place that has a separate apartment for me and is located much closer to my son, John, and my grandkids' dad.

University of West Florida

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 1/15/1978 Posted: 3/3/2025		Page Views: 566
Punchcards, deadlines and compiler errors, oh my!

I had been to junior college, indeed, had my Associate in Arts degree. But this was my first time at an upper-level university. Different classes were in different buildings, so there was a lot of walking involved. The campus was beautiful, and I often took Mary and the kids with me if I weren't going to be too long. The kids could just run and run and be out in the sunshine. For them, it was like a park.

Programming in Panama City

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 3/5/1977 Posted: 3/2/2025		Page Views: 18
This was the year personal computers appeared, and my life's work.

The CETA position I had with the Florida Division of Forestry was never meant to be a permananent one. However, I was allowed to transition to permananent employment if it were mutually agreeable. But the Bakersville office didn't need me. So, to remain with the DOF meant moving to where they did need me: The Panama City District Office. This would take us to a part of Florida I'd never been. It would also be the longest and most complicated move I'd ever managed. But I enjoyed working with the foresters and the new position also included a house like the one we were in. So I agreed, gave Mary the news, and we packed.

Pooling Around in Pensacola

By: Paul S. Cilwa	Occurred: 10/1/1978 Posted: 3/2/2025		Page Views: 7
Another town, another trailer.

In preparation for my attending the University of West Florida at Pensacola (UWF) full time, I located and rented a mobile home not far from the campus. Since I didn't have the full spread of VA benefits, designed to send a person to four years of college after six years of service (because of my abbreviated Navy career), I had to take as many courses at once as possible. But I calculated I could almost make it, and decided I would worry about that last semester when I got to it.