Bill Robinson

Name: Bill Robinson.

Age: 60.

Family: Wife, Katie; sons, Matt and Curtis.

City of residence: Orland.

Occupation: Retired chemistry teacher who substitutes on occasion.

Hobbies and interests: Fishing, hunting, the outdoors and community service.

What are your goals for the upcoming year? To harvest my cucumber crop before the bugs get it.

What was the best thing that happened to you in 2011? I went Peacock bass fishing in Brazil.

What was the worst thing that happened to you in 2011? On the flight back from Brazil, between Chicago and San Francisco, a person on the plane went into a diabetic coma and passed out. We were re-routed to Salt Lake City. Thankfully there were a few doctors on board the plane.

Whom do you most admire and why? Teddy Roosevelt. "River of Doubt" is a book describing how after losing the presidency, Teddy went down a dangerous, uncharted river in Brazil and helped to chart it, at one point telling his crew to go on without him. I also admire him for his policies with the national parks.

What's something about yourself that your friends might not know? I still have a 250cc Greeves motorcycle sitting in my garage. I wish I were riding it. If it weren't for the insurance and registration, I would be.

What is your dream job? Retirement. I hadn't thought teaching would be my dream job, but after 34 years of teaching, 26 of those at Orland High School, it worked out better to be a teacher. Once you got the kids working, it was really rewarding to teach.

What qualities in people do you most admire? Truthfulness and persistence.

What is guaranteed to make you smile? A 10-pound rainbow trout wouldn't hurt, or a four-point buck. Oh, of course, my wife.

What are you thankful for? The time period in which I've lived my life. If I had been born before antibiotics were invented, I never would have survived as I was susceptible to colds as a child. I'm glad I will not live my life in the era of cell phones and iPads.

What is your fondest memory? Not graduating from U.C. Davis. My wife and I received our credentials but we got married that Friday night instead of attending the ceremony.

Most embarrassing moment? Aside from some demos and labs that didn't work while teaching, about a year before my wife and I got married, we went on a motorcycle ride in Mendocino County. About six to eight miles in we ran out of gas. Thankfully my cousin was there to get more fuel.

Biggest accomplishment? A successful marriage with two kids.

What do you hope to see happen this upcoming year? Gas prices drop to $2 per gallon. That would be nice.

Contact Jenn Anderson at 934-6800 or janderson@tcnpress.com.