I was born in Houston, Texas in 1952. My father (Morris Benjamin Konstantin, Jr.) was born in Dallas, and grew up in Alto (east Texas). We do not know of any Indian blood in his ancestry. Oddly enough, though, he grew up in Cherokee County. My mother (Lila Beatrice Adair Konstantin) was born in Oklahoma. My Cherokee ancestry is from my mother. My enrollment number with the Cherokee Nation is C0189288. I'm one of the founding members of the San Diego Cherokee Community.
My Grandfather (George Adair) was on the Dawes Rolls (#2391), as were my Great- grandparents Joseph Adair (2389) and Nancy Walkingstick (2390). My maternal grandfather died or disappeared when my mother was seven years old. She was the youngest child in her family (as was my father). While a few of my mother's older siblings went to "Indian schools" for a while, she did not. My mother was not raised in the "old ways;" but, she is extremely proud of her heritage. I inherited this pride and interest from her. My father's father divorced my grandmother when she was pregnant with my father. She never saw him again. Despite looking for him over the decades, my father never met his father.
I have 3 grown children, Ron (in Texas), Heidi (Step-daughter) & Sarah (in San Diego). My grand-daughter Jazlyn (Sarah's child) was born in February 2010. There are pictures of them on the "photo" page, if you are interested.
There have been a wide variety of jobs since I started working at age 11. In fact, I have had over 50 diffferent types of jobs over the years. I often worked more than one job at a time. Some of my jobs have been:
- Computer operator for Lomas and Nettleton Mortgage Company. - -
- Computer Operator in Mission Control at NASA during Apollo 16 & 17 and all of the Skylab Missions - -
- Radio and Television talk show host-interviewer (KULF, KIKK, KYND, KILT, KPAC, Texas State Network) - -
- Radio traffic reporter (lots of places) - -
- Television traffic reporter: I did this in San Diego on KGTV-CH.10 (1997-2005)
for the CHP and as a civilian from June 2010 to February 2013. I also worked
as a civilian on KUSI-Ch.9/51 (May, 2005 to May 2010), and at KFMB from May 2013 to April 2016. - -
- Breaking News reporter: I did this in San Diego on KGTV-CH.10 and at KFMB-Ch.8. This was
primarily from a helicopter (Sky-10 and Chopper 8.) from 2010 to 2016. - -
- I finally retired from all my regular jobs on April 2, 2016. I traveled around the country in a
small trailer from April 2016 to September 2017. Photos and videos of my travels can be found
at Travels With Phil. - -
- Author - I have written over 100 newspaper and magazine articles. My first book, This Day
In North American Indian History was published in October 2002. I've written one other book,
and contributed to three more. - -
- California Highway Patrol Officer (August 1985 to May 2005 - whew!) If you were in
southern California between 1990 & 2005, you probably heard
me on TV or radio as a spokesperson for the CHP - -
- I have thousands of videos online on YouTube. They range from my TV broadcasts, to science to travel videos. You can find them at: Phil's YouTube Channel. One of these videos has had well over 1,000,000 views.- -
Here is the complete list of types of jobs I have had (as far as I know):
My Various Paid Occupations: 1. Actor (Movie Extra & Musicals) 2. Assignment Editor (KUSI-TV) 3. Author (Newspaper, Magazine, Online & Books) 4. Bad Check Collector (telephone sales) 5. Bookkeeper (Janitor Supply Company) 6. Cable TV Interview Host 7. Camera Operator (Documentary) 8. Campground Membership Sales (Time Share - sort of) 9. Cartoonist 10.Cashier 11.Clerical (X-Ray Dept at VA Hospital) 12.Computer Operator 13.Concession Manager 14.Concession Stand Worker (theatres) 15.Delivery Service 16.Disco Disc Jockey 17.Film Processor (NASA) 18.Food Vendor at Football Games (soda & popcorn in stands) 19.Grade Checker (Construction) 20.Graphic Designer (Websites) 21.Handyman on USS Texas 22.Human Resources (Hiring Telephone Solicitors) 23.Janitorial Supplies Jobber 24.Jewelry Maker (Beading) 25.Law Enforcement 26.Maintenance Man (Apartments) 27.Manual Laborer (Cutting Weeks Flood Control, General Labor for Manpower) 28.Master of Ceremonies 29.Music Video Editor 30.Music Video Producer 31.Narrator (Training Videos & Driver's Education Classes) 32.Photo Enhancement (Websites & For Individuals) 33.Photographer 34.Plumber 35.Plumber's Helper 36.Plumber's Laborer 37.Projectionist 38.Public Relations 39.Public Speaker 40.Radio Station Assistant Program Director 41.Radio Station Disc Jockey 42.Radio Program Producer 43.Radio Talk Show Host 44.Rental Car Manager (Ashbaugh) 45.Rental Vehicle Transporter 46.Security Guard 47.Short Order Cook 48.Singer 49.Stage Manager (Rock Concerts) 50.Story Board Artist 51.Teacher (CHP Media Relations Instructor) 52.Telephone Solicitor 53.Theatre Manage (Indoor & Drive-In) 54.Traffic Reporter (radio and TV) 55.Training Video Director & Producer 56.TV News Reporter 57.TV Talk Show Host 58.Vending Machine Owner & Servicing 59.Videographer 60.Voice-Over announcer 61.Website Designer 62.Well Logger (Oil Production - The Analysts) 63.Wood Chipper Operator at Flood Control
I have had a fairly good education, attending public schools in Houston and Pasadena, Texas. My undergraduate college work was at San Jacinto Jr. College (Pasadena), Rice University (Houston), and San Diego State University in California. Financial problems forced me to leave Rice in 1977. I finally got my B.A. at San Diego State in 1991 (I was a senior for 14 years - I don't recommend waiting that long to go back). Some of my educational honors were the "Dean's List" a couple of times, and "Who's Who among Students at American Universities and Colleges in 1977 (Rice) and 1991 (SDSU).
With a personal library of over 3,000 volumns, I am a voracious reader. In the 1970s, I served on the Library Board in Pasadena. We built a new library while I was on the board. Thus my name appears on the dedication plaque attached to the front of the building. I served on the Exhibits and Ecucation Committee for the Reuben Fleet Science Center in San Diego.
I have written, or contributed to, five books. My first book (2002) was This Day In North American Indian History. I wrote the entire book. I contributed articles and appendix material for two different encyclodpedias: Native America: From Prehistory To First Contact, and Treaties With American Indians. The fourth book I worked on was Native American History For Dummies. I wrote six of the twenty-four chapters of this book. I wrote most of the material in my fifth book - The Wacky World Of Laws. The title explains it all. I have posted links to four of these books below.
I have traveled through 47 of the United States (missing Delaware, Hawaii and Alaska), and a large part of Mexico. I've also been to Guatemala and Belize, and a few feet into Canada.
Just for info, I get a bit irritated whenever I hear the phrase "Native American" to describe the ancestors of the indigenous people of this continent. When it comes to words to describe this part of my background, I prefer just about ANY other term: American Indian, Indian, Aboriginal American, First American, First People, First Nation, etc., etc.
I have talked with thousands of people about this. I have only encountered a few American Indians who prefer the NA term. Most older Indians only use the term when someone else brings it up first. It is fine with me if people want to called themselves NA. That is their choice and I respect their right to do this. More younger people are using this term, as they have heard it all of their lives.
By far, most American Indians prefer to be called by their given name (Phil, for example). Most would also prefer the use of their tribal name (Cherokee, for example) over any other phrase.
I realize American Indians are not from India, thus American Indian is an inaccurate term. In my mind though, anyone born in the Americas (North and South) is a native American. For example, if your name is Fujiyama or Schmidt, and you are born in Bolivia, by definition, you are a "native American" since you were born in the Americas. I am "politically correct" in many ways, but not this one.
I also do not like being called "Mr.".
Lecture over......
~~|:-)
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