Greetings, All!

The name was given by my father, (may he rest in peace), when he discovered that his wee son would never stand down from a position once his mind was made up. "That boy is more stubborn than a bull!", he would say to my mother. Yet he seemed to take a bit of pride in it and began calling me "Bull" and even introducing me to the public as such. So, the name stuck over my given name of 'Mark'.

My grandfather always told us kids of our family heritage as Scots. Frankly, I never paid much attention to it all. Later in life I became enthralled with history, though. Especially the "living history" groups that worked with our American history back to the Revolution and the French & Indian War. I joined up with a group in my home state of South Carolina called the Blue Ridge Mountain Men and with a more intense sub-group known as he "CLB". (That's short for either the 'Coors Light Brigade' or 'Cute Little B*st*rds'. No one ever knew for sure...) My history education was improved and my curiosity piqued. Within a few months I was kilted.

Once I discovered the sheer comfort and practicality of the kilt I never wanted to go back to bifurcated garments in my private life.

Some years later old injuries and a genetic predisposition led to some 14 spinal cord compressions that led me to wake up on Jan. 16, 2002 completely paralyzed from my chest down. That, dear friends, was what one may call a surprise - and not one of the good variety! Thanks to great surgeons from Emory Univ., good care from the Veterans Admin. hospitals, and that stubborn attitude I mentioned above I managed to do what the doctors all thought I would never do again... I walk. With a stick if the distance is more than a few yards, mind you, but I do walk. So ended my working days.

Enough with all of that! I found this forum completely by accident, but could not be more pleased. I look forward to many hours of education, humor, and discussions with all of you to help fill my days.

Until later!

Bull, out.