Jim was born at home in 1938 and grew up in Michigan with three brothers and no sisters. He joined the U.S. Navy right out of high school. The author traveled extensively through Asia while in the Navy, and he got the travel bug. After four years, he was honorably discharged and wanted to see Europe. He and a friend left Michigan at age 22 to go to New York City to get a job on a ship going to Europe.
  Jim worked on two foreign vessels to get to Europe. 
  Now 82 years old, Jim has a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and retired from IBM after 25 years. He and his wife, Joyce, have been married for 57 years. They have three married sons and seven grandchildren.