Chronology (Richard Mayer)
1945 (December 1): Richard Mayer born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
1950: enters kindergarten at Clara Barton Elementary School, Minneapolis
1952: enters second grade at Armitage Elementary School, Minneapolis
1955: starts flute lessons at McPhail School of Music
1955: continues flute lessons with Mary Roberts Wilson
1957: enters seventh grade at Southwest Junior High School, Minneapolis
1958: enters eighth grade at Susan B. Anthony Junior High School, Minneapolis
1960: enters tenth grade at Southwest High School, Minneapolis
1963: graduates from Southwest High School
1963: enters Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota
1966: spends summer in Germany on Macalester's SWAP program, works at Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen in Schwaebisch Gmuend
1967: graduates from Macalester College
1967: enters the American Studies M.A. program at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1967: visits brother Stephen Mayer in Tuebingen, Germany, drops out of UofM
1968 (January 8): inducted into US Army
1968: (January-March) Basic Training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri
1968: (April) Korean language training at Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California
1968 (May-June) Light Weapons Infantry Training at Ft.Ord, Monterey, California
1968-1970: Russian language training at Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California
1970: Intelligence training at Goodfellow AFB, San Angelo, Texas
1970-1971: US Army Intelligence, West Germany
1971 (December 8): Discharged from US Army
1972-1973: University of Minnesota Russian language program
1973-1974: Middlebury College summer Russian program for graduate studies
1974 (February-June): student at Leningrad State University
1974-1976: Russian linguist and road manager for CAMI, New York, New York
1976-1979: Coordinator of Russian Studies program at CIEE, New York, New York
1979 (April): moves to Austin, Texas
1979-1984: works at University of Texas for Computer Science Department and Graduate School of Business as Russian linguist
1984-1990: works at Texas Legislative Council as computer programmer
1989: starts performing with Norma Faison
1990-1999: works at University of Texas as computer programmer
1992: Norma and Richard perform in St. Petersburg, Russia
1994: marries Norma Faison
1997: Norma and Richard perform in St. Petersburg, Russia
1998: Norma and Richard perform in France
1999: Norma and Richard move to Monterey, California
1999-2007: works at Defense Language Institute as Russian instructor, English tester, and curriculum developer
2000: Translation instructor at Monterey Institute of International Studies
2004: co-founds Opera-Essence Performances with Norma Mayer
2004: Norma and Richard perform in Estonia
2005: Norma and Richard perform in France
2006: Norma and Richard perform in France
2007: Richard retires from DLI
2007: Norma and Richard perform in France
2008: Norma and Richard perform in Estonia
2009: Norma and Richard perform in France and Germany
2010: Norma and Richard perform in Germany
2011: Norma and Richard perform in Germany
2011: Richard becomes naturalized German citizen
2012: Norma and Richard perform in Germany
2013: Richard publishes his translation of Ludwig Mayer's book Umkämpfte Erde as The Embattled Ground
2014: Richard republishes Ludwig Mayer's book Umkämpfte Erde in Germany
2021: Richard republishes Ludwig Mayer's book Umkämpfte Erde for the Kindle