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Today is a pivotal day in Johnson family history. We got the first payment from the sale of my two inventions (See R.I.P. Randy). It's a small one, but it's enough to pay off some debt and take a huge step towards saving instead of spending and paying interest. And it's enough to put me in a very small percentage of inventors who see some money from their intellectual property.
Yokie
The first person to thank is Yokie, my wife for over eleven years. She is the rock our family is built on, and being a better husband for her has defined the past few years of my life, which has been a blessing to us all. If it wasn't from her fantastic work, our family wouldn't have survived our financial disasters. If she didn't believe so much in me there is no way that any of this could have worked.
I love you girl!!! I love you more and more every day.
Rose
The fact that I'm the role model for Rose, that she looks up to me so much, it keeps me being a better, calmer person. Trying to deserve her respect, and the amount of faith and trust she has in me, that is something that's always with me, pushing me forward. Thanks Rose.
Homie
I remember asking my dad how engines work. He got out a piece of paper and drew a series of cross-sections on it. He explained the results of mixing gas, air, then compressing it and adding a spark; how that explosion is channeled. We talked about variations, like Desmodromic Valve Lifters, DOHC, balanced crankshafts, belts vs chains, etc. I couldn't have been much older than Rose is now (1st or 2nd grade). Having such a brilliant father so mechanically minded is the keystone upon which my patents are built.
Mom
There aren't many better writers and workers than my mom. Her teaching, & her getting me into Whiteman, the high school where I was so lucky to go for my first two years, it was key to forming a good writing base for me. That writing has proven instrumental in communicating my ideas, and moving the ball forward.
Ben Capdevielle
My buddy Ben has done amazingly well with Captive Spirits and it's so humbling to see the man he has become. Cappy, good job bro. I may have taught you some of what you know about cooking, but you have taught me a lot about what it means to be a good family man
Mr. Rosenthal & Mrs. Barzegar
Giving up teaching eventually led to my work on bikes, so if I was still teaching none of this would have happened. I just couldn't do it though. But my best friends at Fountain Fort Carson High School did it with ease. And they were teaching a core subject. I was theoretically safe, off in a wing of the high school where all I had to do was not get in trouble.That's exactly what I did though. Without Rozy and Lila I may have blamed it on the environment, not on myself. But they thrived in that place where I couldn't even survive.
Well done you guys. I miss you, I love you, and I'm proud you're still teaching. Better people than me!
Also, if I have ever snapped at anybody for calling Rose "Rosie", now you know why: in my family Rozy is a guy that looks like if Bob Marley was a teddy bear, not a cute little Montana / Malaysia girl. So don't call her Rosie. Rozy is my CO Bro.
Thanks to all!! I love you!!!