Long Winded
Description describing Bob Zimmerman:
This page is dedicated to my experiences. You might
think that some of the topics linked on this page are
unusual. Why would I have an entire page about riding
bikes? Or why would I bother telling you about
ceramics, fishing, hiking, playing outside, or building
a house? I take the time because these are the
activities that have helped to mold me into the person
I am today. My hope is that you will come to know me
better as you read about my experiences.
 As I briefly
stated on my home page, I was born in Gold Beach,
Oregon in 1949. My parents built their own home there,
living in a tent while they built their house. (Click here to view pictures of the
Gold Beach home.) My only memories of Oregon are
what have come from home motion pictures and one brief
memory of being very sick after smelling bleach.
However, having had a number of experiences with
building houses, my parents bought property on Pine
Lake and designed and built a home. I have devoted
another page to document those activities.
 We moved to
Washington State when I was four, locating into a small
development that we called "Sunset Ranch". The house
has three-quarters of an acre of land and was situated
very near the present-day location of Bellevue
Community College. From my bedroom window I could see
out towards the Olympic Mountains. It was a beautiful
view. In the back yard we worked the soil and developed
a rich garden plot. I enjoyed turning the soil each
spring and helping to maintain it, nurture it and
finally harvest its bounty. I have devoted one page to
my memories of my
bedrooms and another to our garden.
One of my first memories at Sunset Ranch was
riding my bike by myself around the corner of the
house and being elated that I had not fallen over! Of
course I didn't know how to stop so it all ended in a
crash! Perhaps that is why I have devoted an entire
page to my experiences with riding bikes.
Our family spent many weekends enjoying the
outdoors. Camping and fishing were pleasant pastimes.
My father always had a knack at figuring out how to
catch fish and many vacations were spent visiting
lakes, camping and enjoying the wealth that our area
has to offer. Later, when he introduced my brother
and I to hiking, it was like a seed had been planted
that sprouted into an interest and enthusiasm for the
outdoors. My page about hiking captures many of our
experiences.
Both my brother and I always liked to organize
activities. We started our own artists club called
the American Artists Club of America, or AACA, which
included many of the neighborhood kids our age. We
had drawing classes and displayed our work around the
walls of our recreation room. And, because we had
gathered many of the neighborhood kids together so
often, we hosted neighborhood "Olympics" in our back
yard during the summer months, having races, making
homemade hurdles, a pole-vault pole fashioned from
bamboo and high jump pit. We even had a shot put made
from a heavy steel ball. Later in the summer we
organized everyone into making camps in the woods,
creating job roles for each person and printing up
our own currency for exchange! And, because the
father of one of our friends worked at a radio
station, we spent several days taping our own mock
radio shows! Hence I have included a snapshot of my
memories with the radio station and
what we did as we played outside.
Later, we started making fishing tackle-- lures,
flies, jigs and pop-gear. It was fun not only making
the tackle, but we ended up selling some of our
creations at school and testing them during our trips
to the outdoors. My page about fishing captures many of
my memories.
We also had an interest in ceramics. We had molds
that made small animals, which we would assemble,
glaze, fire and then sell at school. Learn more about
my impressions with a visit to my ceramics page.
A major project that affected my life was the
family project of building a new home. Having bought
property on Pine Lake (near Issaquah) we proceeded to
plan and build a home there. My page on building the Pine Lake
home documents our efforts.
Through the years I've had some experiences that
are funny to recall. I hope you take a few moments to
visit my page that I call It's Not Too Smart.
I hope to add to these pages occasionally. Perhaps
I will capture my activities with silk-screening and
the hours spent cutting stencils by hand, making
bumper stickers, Christmas cards and signs. Perhaps
my experiences on the University of Washington campus
during the protests against the Vietnam War would be
of interest, as professors canceled classes and gave
"blanket" A's to all of the students. Or maybe I
could capture my experiences with a fine group of
young adults as we developed the first youth-group
Chapters of the John Birch Society. Some would find
my experiences as a Deacon and treasurer of interest
as I became a charter member helping to serve the
Lord and build a congregation. And, finally, I could
explain my first computer and how my wife and I ran
an ADAM computer-user group for ten years! Indeed, I
have many rich experiences to relate. Is anyone
interested?
So I have sketched a bit about me.
Please send me
email or leave a comment
in my guest book.
I appreciate your feedback!
Bob Zimmerman, January 24, 2000.
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