A Bit About Me

Until this point, my postings have been relatively formal, a result of a decision I made to use my initial posts to outline the general direction I wanted my weblog to follow. Tonight I'd like to do something different. Rather than continuing to explore my ideas about blogging, I would like to use this entry to say a few words about myself. I’m not sure why I feel the need to do so. It’s not as if my story is particularly interesting. In fact, were I to be honest, I would have to admit that I feel a bit uncomfortable sharing it with strangers. At the same time, I can't help but feel as if maintaining this blog has led me to enter into a conversation of sorts. As such, I suppose that introducing myself is only natural.

Let's see... where to begin? At the current time, I am a graduate student attending a large research university situated in the American Midwest. I am happily married, and the proud parent of two dogs, Montana and Dakota. I am not originally from the city in which I now reside, but I have come to like it considerably. If nothing else, my experiences have led me to realize that the stereotypes attributed to life in the Midwest are quite unfair. There is far more to do her than I had expected, the people are remarkably friendly, and the weather, outside of the long, gray winter months, has been surprisingly nice.

Before relocating to the Midwest my wife and I lived in a small city (I emphasize the word small) in northern Arizona, a land of mountains, deserts, and canyons. As I have noted elsewhere, I made my living as a high school English teacher, a job I enjoyed considerably. Despite its challenges, working with young people can be quite fulfilling. The twelve-years that I spent in the classroom allowed me to meet a number of truly amazing people, many of whom had a profound influence on me. Additionally, teaching, unlike my current position, did not consume my every waking minute. Don’t’ get me wrong. There is no question that teaching is a difficult job. Those who suggest it isn't are either lying, or failing to put much effort into it. Still, I found that the job left me with time to pursue my own interests, and I did so gladly.

I love to spend my time in the outdoors, and, as anyone familiar with the Southwest knows, the region provides ample opportunities for doing so. My wife and I spent a great deal of time backpacking, climbing, fishing, and hiking. I had the good fortune to scale peaks in Colorado, and undertook multi-day treks through the Canyonlands of southern Utah. Unfortunately, the ability to participate in activities of this sort have not presented themselves as readily in the Midwest. At the same time, my position as a graduate assistant hasn't exactly allowed me to pursue my own interests either, the result being that the tradeoff hasn't been as painful as I expected.

As a graduate student pursuing a degree in English education, I am responsible for teaching an introductory education class, overseeing student teachers, and assisting professors with their research. In my remaining time I am responsible for keeping up with my own coursework. Returning to school at the age of thirty-five has been a challenge. The schedule I keep can be grueling, I make relatively little money, and I have been forced to resume the life of a tenant. This isn't meant to suggest, however, that my life is all that bad. In fact, my journey thus far has been a good one. I’ve learned a great deal about myself, met some interesting people, and had the opportunity to publish my own writing. In short, I’ve enjoyed the experience considerably.