Joseph E Howard

Life has been an endless spree of learning, exploring, and experiencing. It continues to be one dazzling ride!

As weird as this might sound, although true, most of my friends are DEAD. I had to move recently, and, gosh, there was no one to call. I think it was when I needed the help for my move I realized they were actually dead.

About ten years ago, fearing I would be stranded in the 20th Century, I went back to school to learn about computers, and brush up on many of my skills, including writing.

I am finishing the last few credits on my BA, but have begun courses I can apply towards a Master's degree. I've moved my goal date for graduation up to June 2010. My focused studies have been in the area of Elementary Education and Conflict Resolution.

This endeavor has put me back in the driver's seat in a brand new century.

Some of the work I've done over the past half-century has been such things as owning a towing company for ten years, found gold nuggets in the Mother Lode and learned about gold mining from a forth-generation California gold miner.

I have done a bit of skip-tracing (someone who finds bail jumpers), worked as a U.S. Custodian for the U.S. Trustee's Office - District of Nevada. in the 1980's, was a Process Server in the City and County of San Francisco, repossessed property for a number of agencies, managed Yellow Cab Company in beautiful Lake Tahoe, Nevada, from 1989 - 1991. During the years 1975 - 1980, I created and published five back-county maps of northwestern Oregon.

Just out of high school I had the honor to work with, the great, Edwin A. Koupal Jr., founder of People's Lobby Inc from 1971 - 1973.

Worked as Southern Alameda County Coordinator for Proposition 20-The California Coastal Conservation Act. Its passage, in 1972, created the California Coastal Commission, which to this day oversees protection of California's 1200 mile coastline. At the same time I worked in the signature gathering efforts, and later, the campaign for the first marijuana initiative ever to be offered to voters - the California Marijuana Initiative, Proposition 19.

I am a long time resident of Oregon and drove taxicab for 18 years. Cab driving taught me patience, compassion, and most of all - how not to be a fool, hopefully.

I use to tell folks cab driving was the best job I'd ever had, until, I was given an opportunity to student-teach Kindergarten. Helping teach Kindergarten is the best job I've ever had. I learned a lot. And, my teachers, the kids, pulled me back in time, gave me an ability to feel the crispness and brightness of the world around me when everything was new and fresh. They also taught me how to be focused and distracted at the very same time.

Some other thoughts:

We need to unshackle ourselves from old ideologies and perceptions of the 20th Century, embrace new ideas and travel new pathways into the frontier of the 21st Century and obtain leaders who embrace such values.

The need is upon us to revamp our educational system to a system which encourages rather than discourages.

We all have the abilities necessary to create a world that will work for all, regardless of differences, because we have more in common, than not.

I enjoy learning from others, so, if anyone has any comments about my writing or anything else, please feel free to write.

Effective August 28, 2008, I have changed my dearly loved Xomba name "bigpink," to my real name, "Joseph E Howard."

Pink will always be my trademark color, embedded from the beginnings of Pink Taxi in Lake Tahoe, Nevada and South Lake Tahoe, California, founded April 1, 1988, and since 1993, in my copyright name; Pink Taxi Communications - XCM Inc. (XCM = Xxysis Cyber Mach, or Internet at the speed of X).

I figured if I was going to leave a debris field on the Internet, I should take responsibility for it and attach my real name to what I write.

Although still, a work in-progress my website is up-and-running.
http://www.pinktaxi.us

Pink Taxi - “in the pink since '88”

Thanks for reading, and ENJOY XOMBA! There's no better place to speak your mind, learn, engage, and explore...and, make some money too! Visit: pinktaxi.us & josephehoward.com, either = same website

BREATHE!

Home Town:

San Francisco

Places I've Lived:

California: San Lorenzo, San Francisco, Oakland, Angel's Camp, Tuttletown, Turlock, Modesto, South Lake Tahoe

Nevada: Reno, Stateline, Laughlin

Arizona: Bull Head City

Washington: Vancouver, Hazel Dell

Oregon: Jewell, Birkenfeld, Jewell Junction, Elsie, Banks, Portland, Beaverton, Gresham, Tualatin

Colleges I've Attended:

Portland Community College, Clark College (Vancouver, WA), Portland State University, College of Life Experience, College of Highway Science

Hobbies:

digital photography, writing, teaching kindergarten, volunteering on local projects, and at Community Radio (non-profit) KBOO - 90.7fm/streaming at kboo.fm, cooking, gardening, learning from others

Favorite Movies:

Casa Blanca, 2001-A Space Odyssey, Unforgiven, How the West was Won (made for TV), UHF, Gran Torino, Beverly Hillbillies, Open Range, Honeydriper, Independence Day, Dancing With Wolves, and many more

Favorite TV Shows:

All CSIs, All Law and Order, The Sopranos, Nova, The American Experience, Antiques Roadshow, History Detectives, Cops, NCIS, Paladin, Twilight Zone, Miami Vice, PBS Ken Burns Specials, The Practice.

Favorite Music:

Trance/Techno, Alternative Rock, 1950s-60s Rock, Jazz, Big Band, and, my biggest life-long favorite, the Blues

Favorite Books:

Citizen Hughes, 21 Balloons, The Art of Talk, The Boy Who Invented Television, The Devil In White City, Krishnamurti - The Flame of Attention, The Network of Thought, Commentaries On Living...