Name's Jim

I was born in Kingston, on the 'proverbial' other side of the tracks, in '67. My father worked low paying jobs, which meant we didn't qualify for the subsidies given to those on welfare. I spent my first 12 years in Kingston followed by a couple in Toronto and then on to Windsor. Until Grade 10 I was in a different school every year, sometimes 2. My parents split when I was in Grade 4 and my mom remarried. As a teenager I was a real a$$. I thought I knew everything (typical teenager, lol). When I was 18, in grade 13 (weird Ontario thing that was renamed mid 80's and eliminated mid 90's) my family moved to England because my step fathers mother was dieing. I stayed and ended up dropping out of school and spent a year living in parking garages, homeless shelters and friends basements.

At 25, after a series of bad jobs I decided to go back to school. I took a qualifying course at the local university (University of Toronto) and enrolled the following year. I joined the varsity rowing team (where I met my wife), completed my BSc, and realizing how much easier school was than working and wanting to avoid repaying my, interest free while in school, student loans stayed in and completed my MSc and PhD (Organic Chemistry).

Unfortunately as I was finishing my PhD, with plans on getting job in the research triangle, North Carolina, we went into a recession and all the research jobs dried up. The only job I could find was working for the government (intellectual property) in Ottawa. The pay is low compared to private sector jobs in my field but above average for the area. This coupled with a great pension and work hours make the lower pay almost acceptable.

I'm now married with 2 kids and living the suburban life style.