Omaha

At a quick glance, it seems that there were only three good things about my time in Omaha:

1. Meeting Lori.
2. Meeting Pastor Cavener.
3. Meeting Tom and Oanh.

Apart from those, there would seem to be little else worth remembering or writing about.

On closer examination, however, Omaha was in fact a time of massive change for me.

1. I made the transition from the miltary world to the civilian world.
2. I made the transition from single guy to married man. 3. I began a regimen of pretty comprehensive self-improvement, reading books and listening to tapes, forcing myself to meet new people, and really endeavoring to build a business.
5. I quit smoking.
6. I became an active and regular particiapant in worship at my church.
7. I made my first serious effort to learn something difficult - jazz piano, and in the process discovered the limits of my ability to concentrate.
8. I diagnosed myself and sought treatment for attention deficit disorder.
9. I developed two new interests: 78 rpm records and the Ravenna Mosaics.

It was also a productive time -- I did a good portrait of Grandpa Van and sent it to Grandma, and I had my first cartoons published.

I arrived in Omaha after a side-trip to visit Amy in the Netherlands. When I landed, it was a cold February day. The cab driver who took me to Offutt said as I got out, "I hope you find what you're looking for here."

I moved into Turner Hall and got my own room. Soon my clearance was revoked and I went to work with the dorm manager, Dave Golida. This turned out to be a blessing. I made sure I kept my own private room, and did the same for my friends, Carey Windham, DeWayne 'Cecil D.' Nobles, Pete Harrison, Rick 'Sancho' Marling, Matt 'Rowdy' Yates, and Erik 'Straight One' Stratton. I had my piano in my room, much to the amusement of everyone.

Oanh Heiser are one of the best friends I have ever had. She was instrumental in my getting my first apartment and three or four different jobs. She herself employed me in at least three different capacities. I was, at various times, her cartoonist, contributing columnist and editor, and delivery driver. Oanh is a second-generation immigrant only in the sense that she was a child when her parents brought her over from Viet Nam. Her English is almost perfect, but not quite. She has all of the immigrant drive and business knack. She is a talented graphic designer. At one point I had her redo my upstairs apartment.

At first I lived in an apartment on Burt Street. This place turned out to be too expensive for me, but it was essential that I live there so I could be next door to Miss Hanusa, who introduced me to Lori. After that, I moved in with Carey, Al Chalk, and Todd Halstead in a house on Hoctor Boulevard.

By far the best thing that happened to me in Omaha was going to work for Pastor Cavener as his secretary. The funny thing was that I was almost as disorganized as he was. But his daily influence on me was so positive, I cannot imagine how life would have turned out without it. Pastor Cavener instilled in me a love of and reverence for the Lutheran liturgy. He was the best example I'v ever seen of a man fully involved in the ministry. He was truly committed to the kids in his care, and he spent his spare time hanging out in coffee shops making new friends and witnessing quietly, more as an example than anything.

He was bright, articulate, gregarious, and fun, with a wickedly sharp sense of humor.

Pastor Cavener also served as a living example that the financial success I was seeking through Amway was not the highest attainment possible, since he had walked away from a lucrative salary to serve as a parish pastor.