Makana was born in Germany and bottle fed because nipple feeding was not sterile in the late 50s and early 60s.  He moved to Ohio to be with his parents at age 2, were he was kicked out of nursery school for playing hooky.
    In third grade he was almost sent to the DottieHouse[school for retarded children] because he could not learn to read or write.  He was saved by a Ph.D. candidate at Perdue Univ. who was studying a new condition called dyslexia.  He lived on campus in 1968 and his friends believe this is why he went to about 300 Grateful Dead shows in a row during a 7 year period while trying to get a college degree or two.  He did his year hitching Europe, Scandinavia, and Turkey.  Spent several years playing guitar and singing in a gospel band down south trying to understand Christianity.[he failed]
    Went to Alaska one summer to earn money sliming fish , but was hired by the federal government to be a field marine biologist. [They were really hard up back then.] He did a 5 month tour on a Japanese driftnet vessel, counting dead fish, birds, seals, dolphins, etc., and dissecting them for study back at NOAA base in Seattle.  He moved to Hawaii for warmer water and became a SCUBA addict.
    Four years ago he broke his neck, and is currently severely disabled, but can type, and his brain functions as well as it ever did. He is currently living in paradise but he can’t get out much so he spends his time writing, and working on several projects in motion.  He only showers 3-5 times a week, but walks in the rain  to make up for it.