Jean Beyer was born in 1931, in Gordon, a small town in Nebraska. He moved several times throughout his childhood, from his birthplace to Kansas, Oregon and eventually to Denmark, which is his father's birthplace. After a year in Denmark, his family returned to the United States, as World War II raged in Europe. The family then settled in Wisconsin, and in 1944, made the move to Kansas City, Missouri, where Jean spent his teenage years. Jean later earned multiple degrees from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. He had a long and successful career in the US Army, retiring as a Major, after postings as varied as Alaska and Korea. All these moves, as well as Jean's various careers, including managing restaurants such as the Golden Ox in Kansas City, and retiring again after many years teaching in the Kansas City School District, have provided Jean a rich and deep well of personal experiences and encounters throughout his life. His weekly column featured in The Lexington News has given Jean an outlet to share his wisdom, humor and unique observations of the human condition, our daily interactions, and his own personal foibles. You will certainly laugh out loud as you enjoy this excellent collection of Jean's columns.