September 26, 2025

I just discovered a new comic strip called Pardon My Planet.  I'm pretty sure it's gonna get me in trouble.

Boy, I wanted one of those in the worse way.  Luckily I was able to get one from either Pep Boys or Big Wheel and get a friend to install it.  That lady has nice legs, but I'm remembering what it was like to smash your face into one of those Bakelite steering wheels in an accident.

That's Dennis Aiken posing in front of Joel Zane's '57 in the parking lot at Crawford.  It was in the parking lot behind Jack in the Box on 63rd that Joel opened up his trunk and offered me a swig of Jack Daniels -- or possibly kerosene.  Click HERE to see two more photos from this original post.

This 1930 Jimmy Erickson aerial of South Mission beach recently popped up on Facebook.  Click HERE to see an enlargement with comments from yours truly.

Tom Dennison (Helix '56) shares a photo of his late wife Margaret Bemis '59 dancing on the Steve Allen show.  Margaret passed away in 2018.

  

Kemp Ipsen ’66 died June 28, 2024 in Glendora, California.  He was active in sports, and in particular, Crawford’s stellar basketball team.  He attended San Diego State University before moving to Monrovia, California to join his father’s fresh juice company, Ferraro’s Fine Juices.  He was happily married for 45 years to Maria Elena Carrillo, and they made their home in Glendora.  Kemp was a successful businessman, an avid golfer and fisherman, and a true friend with a lovingly wicked sense of humor and generous heart.   He was preceded in death by his older brother Lynn Ipsen ’62. (Thank you Eric Watkins and Bob Richardson)

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September 19, 2025

 

In case you're reading this on your Apple Watch, the cartoon shows 3 mice with sunglasses and the caption says: "BLIND -- And tails cut off with a carving knife."

I have steered clear of politics in the past, but recent events tell me it’s time to reach out with good will to everyone.  Just a coincidence, I think, that I came across this snapshot of me and R V Bertain, one of my favorite teachers at Crawford.  He convinced me to join the Pacer staff and encouraged me to pursue writing.  I wonder if he was a member of the John Birch Society.  He was always going on about the Communists and the Domino Theory.  I believe he left Crawford at the end of the 1960-1961 school year and may have gone off to Harvard to pursue an advance degree.  In May of 1992 I was in Washington DC doing research for my book on the USS Saratoga.  Mr. Bertain was working in some capacity for George H W Bush and he took me to lunch.  So, anyway, two folks with totally divergent political views ,had a lovely visit and talked about old times.  Be nice to somebody today whose views you may not agree with. 

One small step for man, one giant step for mankind (from the October 14, 1961 San Diego Union)

Let's take "A Look Back" at the 1958-1959 Student Handbook previously submitted by Jeannine Berger Passenheim '60.  Click HERE to peruse all 40 pages (42 if you count the cover and inside front cover). 

Man, I wanted one of those in the worst way.  I think Joel Zane had one.  I eventually settled for a '56.  Click HERE to check it out on the Cars We Drove To School page.

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September 12, 2025

 

It may have been in Mrs. Bruner's Horace Mann 8th grade English class that my hopes and dreams for Spelling Bee immortality came to a screeching halt when I confidently spelled our, letter-for-letter, S-E-P-E-R-A-T-E.  Well, it SOUNDED right. 

That's me on the pony in front of our Quonset Hut residence at 32nd Street housing around 1948.  I'm not sure how much it cost, but can you imagine taking a pony into navy housing?  A license to print money.

This photo of San Diego streetcars converted into "Bungalows" has been around for years.  I recently learned when and where it was taken, and have added a current view.  Click HERE to check it out.

Kids in San Diego have been back in school for several weeks, but in our day school started in mid-September -- as God intended.  The rich kids went to the Financial Office and bought snazzy plastic book covers.  The rest of us used grocery bags from Menlo Market.

If you had a car, you could put a decal in the back window -- and hope it wasn't off-center.

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