At age 90 most people don't think of holding down two jobs, unless they are Jim Thompson.

Thompson just celebrated his 90th birthday last week. He is a maintenance worker for the Stern-Hendy Group at Fay Apartments, where he lives.

But that is just 30 hours a week - not enough to keep a man like Thompson busy. He runs a coin-operated laundry, and he can't tell you how many hours he puts in there.

He doesn't rely on buses and cars to get to and from his two jobs. He walks.

Jim Thompson, who turned 90 years old on March 15, still holds two jobs. One is at the Fay Apartments and the other is here managing the Coin Operated Laundry on McHenry in Fairmount. The Cincinnati Enquirer/JEFF SWINGER

Thompson was born near Steubenville, Ohio, and ended up working in a steel mill in Pittsburgh, following in his father's footsteps. He brags about getting paid twice a month, taking home $15 each paycheck.

He said he took a big cut in pay to join the Air Force in 1938, making only $21 a month, he said.

After leaving the Air Force, Thompson returned to the steel mill for a whopping $38 a week. He later did remodeling jobs and worked as a painter in Middletown before moving on to Chicago for construction work.

His greatest claim to fame is that he worked on the Sears Tower in Chicago. "That was a little scary because the building kept swaying," he said.

He later hooked up with Roger Sexton and Danny Bolser of Stern-Hendy Property management, setting down roots.

Words flow rapidly as Thompson leans back at his desk at Fay Apartments, occasionally locking his fingers together under his chin.

"I have had two kidney operations, five heart bypasses and two heart attacks," Thompson said. "I feel great. Some people refer to me as a bionic man."

Donor, recipient to meet

Today, Sayaka Terada, 8, will meet the person she considers her best friend, Janea Drummond of Felton, Calif.

They have never met, except through blood stem cells. Drummond was the donor; Sayaka, the recipient.

Drummond made the donation Feb. 26, 2001, at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in Stanford, Calif.

The cells were flown to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, where Dr. Richard Harris performed the transplant the next day.

Drummond said she knew nothing about Sayaka but was told that a 5-year-old girl needed a transplant.

Sayaka, a native of Japan, now is a healthy student at Holy Angels School, Sidney, Ohio.

Drummond, 48, is co-owner of an electrical repair company with her husband.

They will meet for the first time at aPatient Empowerment breakfast during the Intercultural Cancer Council's 9th Biennial Symposium at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

West Point acceptance

Zachary Porter has received an offer of admission from the United States Military Academy, West Point , N.Y. He was given early consideration for admission because of his performance in the classroom, sports and extracurricular activities.

The senior at Ryle High School plans to major in engineering and continue his track career, participating in both high and intermediate hurdles, the 400 meter run and related relay events.

Zachary is the son of Pam and Ron Porter of Union.

Marketing scholarship

Alyssa Murphy, a senior majoring in marketing and international studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, is the recipient of a Harold F. Bull Scholarship, awarded annually to a marketing student who has excelled academically.

The Turpin High School graduate is the daughter of Lee and John Murphy of Anderson Township.

Dean's lists

Emily Hoffmann, a senior majoring in organizational communications and public relations, was named to the autumn term dean's list at Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio.

Rachel Hoffmann, a sophomore majoring in nursing, was also named to Otterbein's autumn dean's list.

The sisters are Anderson High School graduates and the daughters of Julie and John Hoffmann of Anderson Township.

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