The Onion Peeled - in Pics

There's been an ongoing commentary from some readers regarding the peeling back of the layers of onion that collectively add up to shackman. Here's the latest entry in that vein - and it's an onion guaranteed not to make you cry.  No guarantees offered regarding making you laugh.

I started out as a child. 

My gymnastics career ended shortly after this pic was taken as it was clear I was outgrowing the sport rapidly. Like most kids, I loved Christmas. 

  

 

 

I had friends and a dog - Tommy, Kenny & Pudgie.

 

 

We moved to California where I eventually made it through high school. I was somewhat of a jock in high school.   

 

Soon after high school I met a girl.

We got married in 1972.

I managed to graduate from college the next year - BA in Political Science.   We moved to Connecticut in 1976,  LA in 1977 and back to the Bay Area in 1978. We  have 2 kids and 5 grandkids

 

Along the way I went to Hawaii for 6 months.  Alone.  Nuff said :) (That's my late mother and the mirrors on my Suzuki 550).

Eventually we ended up in Texas and I ended up like this - the grandfatherly curmudgeon most of you met on the Internet. Now if my beloved San Jose Sharks ever win Lord Stanley's Cup that curmudgeon label might just vanish.

There's more to the story but that's for another day.

If I had to sum it all up in a song I'd choose Harry Chapin's Circle as the "A" side and  Glen Yarborough's Baby the Rain Must Fall as the "B" side.

That's it for this chapter.  More of a Vidalia than a Spanish onion.