Where Have I Been?
By Jim Bauer
@porwest (112810)
United States
December 15, 2022 10:54am CST
Someone in another discussion recently asked, when I said I was from Wisconsin, if I was born there and it prompted me to post about all of the places I have lived throughout my life.
I should point out that I was a navy brat, as my father served 23 years in the navy and retired as a Chief Petty Officer. I am also a veteran myself, having served 4 years in the Navy aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) between 1992 and 1996.
I was born in Stratford, New Jersey in 1973.
From there we went to Jacksonville, Florida. Then it was off to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Next up it was Iron Mountain, Michigan, then Green Bay, Wisconsin.
From "Titletown," as Green Bay is affectionately called because of the Packers football team we headed off to San Diego, California where we lived in the Scripps Ranch neighborhood.
From San Diego we moved to Edwardsville, Illinois and lived in a private community called Holiday Shores. Then off to Glen Carbon, Illinois.
I joined the Navy and went to the Great Lakes training base, then was off to Meridian, Mississippi for rate training and was ultimately stationed first in Newport News, Virginia (where our ship was in a major overhaul at the shipyards) then off to Norfolk, Virginia at Pier 11 North at NAS Norfolk.
After I was done with the service, I moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin and then ultimately to a Milwaukee suburb called West Allis.
From there it was off to where I now live, an Illinois town about 20 minutes from St. Louis, Missouri.
Does this qualify as having "been around?" lol
8 people like this
11 responses
@NJChicaa (127127)
• United States
15 Dec 22
@porwest Yes I looked it up. It looks like it is almost around the same latitude to where I live now on the east end of the state. I've been to Camden county and Camden specifically for concerts at a waterfront venue. Getting there and the concerts are always fine. Getting lost in Camden and trying to find our way home always involves running red lights and getting the hell out of there.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (44560)
• United States
15 Dec 22
Goodness, all those moves make me dizzy! I grw up in the Coast Guard, but we only moved six times.
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (44560)
• United States
17 Dec 22
@porwest That's amazing to be in one place that long. Although, except for a short time in St Louis where I was born, we were stationed near Portsmouth Virginia until I was 11. Then we moved every two years after that.
@kaylachan (84757)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
15 Dec 22
You sure got around, I'll give you that.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (84757)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
16 Dec 22
@porwest And, yet you've been on what two camping trips? I don't think she's done a perfect job of it, LOL
1 person likes this
@porwest (112810)
• United States
17 Dec 22
@kaylachan When the camper gets back moving in the spring it will only get worse. lol
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52133)
• Staten Island, New York
16 Dec 22
Wow! You’ve traveled a lot. What’s the longest you’ve lived in one place?
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52133)
• Staten Island, New York
18 Dec 22
@porwest that’s a fairly long time.
1 person likes this
@BearArtistLady (6029)
• United States
15 Dec 22
Yep, you've been around. I was born at Mare Island Naval Hospital at Vallejo California. I lived in Napa CA and when I was 5, we moved to Los Osos California. We lived there for a year and then moved to San Luis Obispo CA. When I graduated from high school, I moved to Udorn Thailand and lived there for 9 months and moved back stateside going to Great Falls Montana. When I divorced the idiot I was married to, I moved to Helena Montana. I then moved back to Pismo Beach California, from there I moved to Paso Robles California (Living at Nacimiento Lake which is outside of Paso Robles). I lived with my mom for a while in Fort Meyers Florida. I am now in Atascadero California, about 14 miles from Paso Robles and 42 miles from Lake Nacimiento. OH! I didn't join the service to do all the moving, it was on my own or with the idiot "Ex".
Every now and then I think about moving to another state, but right now it's tough enough living in a state of confusion. 
Have you seen?
Have you seen?2 people like this
@porwest (112810)
• United States
17 Dec 22
That is a lot of moving for a non-service person. lol. As for living in a state of confusion, you DID say you have mostly lived in California, and of course that state's a disaster...
So I fully understand where you are coming from. Literally. lol
@BearArtistLady (6029)
• United States
17 Dec 22
@porwest When did you live here? We have gone before the state of "DISASTER", whatever that state is that is. My neighbor friend had an appointment with a pain doctor this morning at 8:45 a.m.. She was there at 8 and waited until past 9 and no one showed up. The other offices stated that is normal for the office, they come when they feel like it, never work on a Saturday, and if they do happen to come in, they are notoriously late. So, she still is in pain, has no meds to cover the pain, and apparently has no doctor. That's just starting to talk about the disaster.
Have a great weekend and, be thankful that you don't live in California.
@RebeccasFarm (91299)
• United States
15 Dec 22
It sure does and I never knew you were a Navy brat or in the Navy either Jim.
You sure do get around.
Interesting and varied life you have led.
More the better for you
@moffittjc (128832)
• Gainesville, Florida
16 Dec 22
I have never lived outside of Florida. About half my life was in south Florida, and the other half has been in north Florida. I have visited just about every state multiple times, but never managed to move outside of the Sunshine State.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34962)
• United Kingdom
16 Dec 22
@porwest Now you make me want to see how many I managed...
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, Washington, California, Arizona, Iowa, Missouri, Florida, New York, Louisiana, Illinois, Maryland, and Washington DC, I think that's it. I'm not all that far behind you!
1 person likes this
@porwest (112810)
• United States
15 Dec 22
Without overdoing it, the states I have been to are California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, Missouri, Mississippi, Iowa, Wisconsin, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, New Jersey, West Virgina, Virginia, Minnesota, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina.
So, I still have a few to get to yet. Maybe with the camper I can fill in some of the blanks. lol
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (68246)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
16 Dec 22
Wow! Where I have lived might rival you. Los Angeles, Portland Oregon, Seattle Wa, Nashville TN, Pensacola Fl, Raleigh, NC and now Defuniak Fl. There are a couple more little towns in there too.
