My name is James. No one in my family or none of my friends call me Jim , just co-workers. Back years ago before Caller ID, if someone called and asked for Jim. I knew it was about work and if I didn’t want to talk to them, whoever answered the phone would tell them I wasn’t home.

I will be 60 in March. I grew up during the late 60’s and 70’s. Back when no one had air conditioning and everyone spent summer nights on the porch. We used to catch lightning bugs in a jar and tied a string to the leg of a June bug. You don’t see lightning bugs or June bugs anymore.

I was born in Indiana and raised in Louisville. My Dad was the plant manager for a company that made trophies, plaques and medallions. I grew up hanging out at the factory. Growing up in a place where trophies were made, I got to see some amazing ones.

I’m not sure if it’s still used but the College World Series used to use a trophy about 4 feet tall. It is literally an ash log on one side with a baseball bat routed out of the log. The name of the champions each season was put a plate with the year. Dad’s company made NASCAR Trophies, Kentucky Derby Festival Trophies and my favorites The Silver Slugger Awards for H&B.

The Silver Slugger Awards were Silver Bats with a home plate attached to it. I can remember walking through the shipping department and seeing awards there for some of the biggest names in baseball at the time. Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Cal Ripkin, Steve Garvey, Willie McCovy, and many others.

I got meet lots of people. Mitch McConnell, Muhammad Ali and others. I remember Dad introducing me to Pee Wee Reese, calling him greatest shortstop in Brooklyn Dodgers history.

I went to UofL and McKendree College while working for my Dad. I spent nearly 40 years working in manufacturing. I was once the Director of Global Operations for a pharma supply company and got to travel around the world on the company’s dime. When I retired I was Operations Manager for an automotive factory here in Kentucky.

I raised three kids: 1 boy and 2 girls. Both my daughters were college athletes. My oldest played tennis and my youngest played basketball. My son, on the other hand, was a terrible athlete no natural skills at all, just like his Dad.

As far as my politics I used to say I was fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I still believe the government takes too much of our money and I don’t care about your lifestyle. I was a Reagan Republican. After the Reagan years, I got out of politics. I didn’t like George Bush…. either one.Too wishy washy. I supported Clinton.. both terms. I voted for Obama… twice. Then Hillary happened and I became a Marco Rubio supporter. When Trump became the Republican Party nominee I was determined not to vote for him. The more I listened the more I liked what I heard. Then Hillary won the Democratic Party nomination. I knew I couldn’t vote for her so I decided to vote for Trump. I figured he couldn’t screw up things any worse than they were already. I have a real problem with both parties. Though I voted Democrat, I never considered myself one. I can proudly say I never voted for Romney or McCain. I don’t consider myself a Republican either.

Beyond abortion, which I don’t support, except in cases of incest or rape, I probably lean more to the center on social issues. I don’t support the death penalty and I don’t like kids being tried and convicted as adults with no possibility of parole. I don’t believe in locking people up for weed and marijuana legalization. The thought of using tax dollars to pay off student loans pisses me off.

I support amnesty for an illegal who can prove they have been in the country for at least 3 years. I want to see our border secured and the legal immigration process from Mexico fixed.

I still haven’t figured out what I am. Independent possibly Libertarian. Just don’t call me a Democrat or Republican. I would be embarrassed to be either.