Michael Neuman writes:
Since graduating from Penn in ‘77, I was in the Navy for 5 years, payback for a ROTC scholarship. 3 years on a ship in the Pacific, home-ported out of Seattle. The last two years were in LA, a desk job. While anyone who has known me since then has said that s/he can’t believe I was in the Navy, I would not have traded a minute of it. I love being on the sea, and it ignited a life long passion for sailing, surfing, scuba, anything on, in, or under the water. LA during the height of the punk scene was lots of fun, lived on the Sunset Strip, across from the Comedy Store while it was in its heyday, in the building that is now known as the Mondrian Hotel, before moving to a condo a few blocks away.
After that I got my PhD at Berkeley and Masters at Penn, both in urban design and urban planning. After teaching at Berkeley, I went to Texas A&M – they truly made an offer I couldn’t refuse. I am still teaching in Texas now. Among the things I’ve done here is set up a study abroad program for our students to study in Barcelona, Spain, one of the world’s most beautiful and livable cities.
I teach there – Barcelona - in the summer – I set up a program there years ago. Usually spend 3-4 months in the summer in Spain, plus over a month during winter break.
You all wouldn’t recognize me, not for my looks (although my hair relatively recently was as long as Mark Rholfs – go Mark for keeping the faith!), but for my being. Having lived many years overseas, mostly Europe, but also Southeast Asia, has had a huge impact. I speak a few languages, read and understand a few more, and feel half american and half european. Indeed I have houses in both continents. I’ve also lived up and down both coasts of the US, from Seattle to the Bay Area to LA and San Diego, likewise for the East Coast. I love to travel...
Would love to hear from anyone! Best to you all.
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September 27, 2018
Hey folks — since my last update about ten years ago, at which point I had lived for six years in Spain, mostly in Barcelona, I moved to and lived for six years in Sydney Australia, and now living in London, England. I’ve been a Professor of Sustainable Urbanism for a while now, and my fifth book is coming out shortly, on gender, cities, and planning. After living a ten minute walk from three beaches in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, I’ve had to give up ocean swimming and surfing — no waves in London! Even as I have 3 passports and citizenships from 3 different continents, I may move back to the States, once our President whose name we won’t mention gets out of office. If anyone has any ideas as to where to land, get in touch! I’m keen on warm climes and ocean waves, but not Florida. Lived in the Keys in the mid-eighties heyday before the college spring breaks and cruise ships, but no appeal any more. Still single, adventuring, and enjoying life!...