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Michael Eissinger
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Last Updated: |
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May 8, 2010 |
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Residing In: |
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Fresno, CA USA |
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Children: |
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Nikolas 4/15/1995 |
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Birthday: |
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February 27, 1956 |
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Comments: |
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I didn't graduate from Hanford, as I transferred to Porterville near the end of our sophomore year. But, I guess I still count as a member of the class of 74.
I left Porterville, for Los Angeles, right after high school and have tramped around the state ever since, also living in Fresno & Visalia, Atascadero, and numerous places in SoCal. I also spent two years in Cleveland OH, in the mid-90's.
I'm on my third career. I was a radio DJ (Allan Michaels) on KBOS, KKDJ, and KCLQ (among others) from the late 70s through the early 1990s. That career overlapped with a 20 year stint in computers/data processing where I worked as a software engineer/programmer, consultant, support, etc. Half of that time, I worked freelance, running my own business.
A few years ago, I reached total and complete burnout and needed to decide what to do with the rest of my life. I started an internet radio station -- which is still on-the-air, but which doesn't make any money. After almost two years, I decided to return to my academic roots and go back to school to finish degrees that I started, many years ago. I had started taking college courses while still in high school, in Porterville (mostly music and theatre). In 1975, I was a theatre major at Los Angeles City College before returning to Visalia, where I attended COS -- taking mostly general education classes. While there, I took some Anthropology and Precolumbian Art History courses, and was hooked. But, I didn't think I wanted to spend the rest of my life in academia, so I moved on. In 1977, I transferred to Cuesta, on the Coast, where I pursued fine and applied arts and broadcasting. That led to my career in radio. In the early 1980s, I returned to the Valley to work at stations here, and earned an AB degree at Central California Commercial College (4C's) in Data Processing, which led to my computer career which took me back to LA, to Cleveland, and back to the Valley.
For six of the years I lived in/around Los Angeles, I worked at UCLA as a Programmer/Analyst and for several of those years, I was able to attend undergraduate classes (part-time) as a History/Art History major. However, the Northridge earthquake, back surgery, and the birth of our son necessitated a change, which led to us moving to Cleveland (which also ended work on my BA, for awhile). After two years, we returned to Fresno where I continued to work as a consultant for clients all around the country (ain't the Internet great?).
At 48, I returned to school -- we live just a block off the Fresno City College campus -- finishing an AA in a year before transferring to CSU Fresno where in two years I finished BAs in History and Anthropology. I went on to complete an MA in History in three semesters, and began teaching as an adjunct (part-time) professor at West Hills Lemoore, the Hanford Center of Chapman/Brandman, and Fresno City College.
In the current job market, those of us with just Master's degrees have to compete, at every level, with those who hold Ph.D.s in our subjects (as there are fewer faculty positions at universities, which require the Ph.D., they're looking for work at the community college level). So, I decided that as I'm not getting any younger, I need to complete a Ph.D., as soon as possible. To that end, I began working on a Ph.D. in Social and Cultural Anthropology at the California Institute of Integral Studies, in January 2010. However, in Fall 2010, I will move to the World Cultures Ph.D. program at UC Merced. This is a better fit, is fully funded, and will allow me to complete my degree without relocating or relying on as grueling a commute.
I will continue to adjunct as work is available, here, in Fresno, and drive to San Francisco for classes one or two days/week, until I have finished my coursework.
I still play at the trumpet. I was in an auto accident in 1973 that crushed my upper jaw and I lost most of my front teeth. I didn't play, again, for 30+ years until my son decided he wanted to play brass in the school band. I don't practice enough. The tone is there (no range) and I remember that I was once very good -- which is why I was first chair by our sophomore year. Nikolas has since switched to low brass and is now playing tuba. We have collected a number of vintage horns and now own 4-5 trumpets, 2 cornets, a soprano trombone, a tenor trombone, a baritone, a mellophone, and a tuba (plus, a couple of guitars and keyboards). I'm hoping, over the course of the next year, to get my chops back enough to join the community band over at City College -- one more thing to worry about between grad school and teaching.
If anyone wants more info -- just ask. |
Doing Paperwork at an archeological dig in the sierras in 2007
Wet screening at an archeological dig in 2008 or 2009.
Presenting at an academic History conference at CSU Fresno, in 2008.
Sitting around with a bunch of Anthro geeks at the monthly Anthropology Social, in Fresno.
Just for reference. This was me, in 1973, as Gremio in The Taming of the Shrew.
I haven't really changed that much in 35+ years.
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