Biographical Information

This is kind of long....

My parents, Bergliot Bornholdt and William Mackey Jr.
were married at my father's apartment at 732 St. Marks Avenue, Brooklyn, NY

I was born.
New York Hospital ~ On the East River, New York, NY.
{A month premature but look at me now!}.
Lived at 732 St. Marks Avenue in Beautiful Crown Heights Brooklyn.

 

 We moved to 850 St. Marks Avenue
Apt. 6D, Brooklyn.

3rd birthday party - I ate the cherry off of the top of the cake. Yumm.

 My first trip abroad. I went to Norway with my Mom to visit our relatives there

I started 1st grade at St. Ann's Espicopal School in Brooklyn Heights. 

Went to Georgia with my Mom & Dad (Mom & I flew, Dad drove) to visit my Dad's relatives. 

Went to Canada with my Mom to visit my Grandparent's summer house, where I ate :

the BEST HAMBURGER I EVER HAD! 

2nd Trip to Norway
This time my Mom and I went up to the Island of Svolvaer,
one of the Lofoten Islands north of the Arctic Circle... 

 My parents amicably separate, later divorce.

Attended the Choir School of St.Thomas Church, in midtown Manhattan.
 

Moved to Berkeley California
The City of New York was going broke so Mom decided we should
pack up our bags and move to Ber-ke-ley (CA, that is...) 

 Attended Berkeley High School

Attended then worked at Cazadero Music Camp
One of the more fulfilling experiences of my life. Music & Art up in the Redwoods... 

 Graduated from Berkeley High School
I actually officially graduated on April first (the day I fulfilled my credit requirements for my diploma).
Not many folks can say they have a real diploma with April Fools day on it.

Studied Theater at The Actor's Studio in Oakland under Hope Alexander-Willis

Attended Contra Costa College in San Pablo California. Studied Drama for 1 year,
then moved on to study Culinary Arts under Chef Kenneth C. Wolfe.

So...There was this gal who kept coming into the Espresso Bar that I worked at every morning just before 8 am for a medium coffee with cream.

One day I asked her out.

Fool that she was (this is one of only two times I saw a flaw in her thinking) she said yes.

Her name was Jennifer.

 Loma Prieta Earthquake
When the quake hit I was on a bus with my pal Ron on our way to try to sneak into the World Series (we had a hot tip on a "foolproof" method of free entry to the ballpark). All of a sudden I looked out the window and saw this "No Parking" sign swinging wildly back & forth. I thought some kid was pushing it back and forth but when I looked down it was the ground moving back & forth. When we got to the Ballpark everyone was looking up at the light towers which had been swaying in big arcs. Some idiot went running through the crowd yelling "The Bay Bridge collapsed into the bay!" My immediate thought was "Where's Jen?" After mentally walking through where Jen would have been at 5:04 (She was working as a Temp in Downtown S.F.) I figured that she would not have been on the bridge or BART so I figured she was probably safe (I hoped).

I found the fact that my first thoughts in this moment were of Jen verrry interesting.

I would have to ponder this...

Loma Prieta Aftershock
During dinner at Britt-Marie's restaurant in Albany, I finished my pondering. Yep. I proposed. Jen (here comes that second flaw in her thinking I was talking about...) accepted. 

Jen & I got hitched

 

 

Had the ceremony in my Mom's backyard.
Chuck Kesey made homemade brandy ice cream (yummm!) for all the guests.

 

"Now you will feel no rain,
For each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold,
For each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no more loneliness,
For each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two bodies,
But there is only one life before you.
Go now to your dwelling place To
Enter into the days of your togetherness
And may your days be good and long upon the earth."

~ Apache Prayer read at our Wedding

Jen & I bought a lovely little 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in Eugene, Oregon.

{Wow. If you had told me 2-1/2 years ago that in less than 3 years I would be married and be a homeowner, I would have scoffed mightily!}

 

We rented the house out for a year and a half while we prepared to move to Eugene.

 

Sofia Harriett Mackey graced us with her presence...

Sofia means "Wisdom", Harriett was my great-grandmother's name .

 

 

 Loaded up the truck and moved to Orygun...

The Truck before we left:

And after we arrived in Oregon:

Went to my First Burning Man

Went to my Second Burning Man

Went to my Third Burning Man

T'was here where a woman named Batchick uttered those immortal words:

"You're that JUKE guy..."

The rest, as they say, is nickname history....

I joined the Burning Man Mailing List

Isabel Susan Paloma Read Mackey joined our family...
Why so many names, you ask? Well...why not?

Went to my Fourth Burning Man

Went to my Fifth Burning Man

Went to my Sixth Burning Man