I grew up in what is essentially Hickville: West Branch, MI. Thirty miles from from anywhere, five miles from nowhere. The schools I went to, Surline Middle School and Ogemaw Heights High School, picked up kids from four counties. The area had a higher cow population than human. I grew up isolated, conservative, and in a place that didn't quite want me. As a teacher's kid, you were generally 'apart' from everyone else. I spent a lot of time reading, writing, and thinking about better times, past or future.
In High School, I was a Scholar, a runner, a swimmer, a band geek, and a gamer. I didn't hang with the popular crowd, or any crowd for that matter. I had a few friends, but most people thought me too esoteric to hang around. I got bounced off of a lot of lockers. I won a few awards, mostly for playing the tuba in band stuff, and performed with a professional Dixieland Band. All and all, nearly 10 years later, High School is still a blur of meaningless education and growing up. My strongest memories are still scars on my heart or the backs of my hands.
Michigan Technological University. I went there for summer youth programs after winning some talent search or another and loved the place. The ruggedness of the environment struck a cord in my soul that keeps pulling me North to the day. The School of Chemical Engineering took me without a problem and I started classes up at MTU. My first year was fine, made a few friends like Grizz and Mike, and defeated a few enemies from home. Second year was harder. Got into that girl thing (Kelli), started a fraternity, that sort of stuff. Third year was a bear. Went into the Michigan National Guard. Fun, but it nailed my grades and my health a bit. I eventually got 'Clintonized' and discharged for no real reason, honorablly. I'd go back in, given a chance.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth years of college made me who I am now. I began sca fencing, I met Christi, I changed majors to Technical Communication, I started work at Computer Mechanix. That's the short version. I also became very active in the Tech Pep Band, R&D Jazz Band, and my Dixie band, the Basin Street Blues Brothers. Very busy, very fun times.
I graduated, got married, started working full time. We bought a house, upgraded our cars, and tried to make a go of it. For some reason, Christi decided that I wasn't good enoug for her for a permanent marriage. We had problems, I could not deal with them properly, and we got divorced. This is still the single most defining aspect of my life. Since then, I really have not been anywhere near the same person. You never forget your first love... or in my case never stop wanting her back.
From there it's a depressive blur for a while. I did some dating and, for the most part, enjoyed it. I just couldn't get around the idea of not trying to make myself what the other person wanted (sorry Heidi). Traveled to California and other places a lot. I helped a friend out when she needed it. I pretty much discovered my age limitations as far as women go. In this mess, I got laid off from my first job and went into a bit of a downward spiral for a while. I worked in a casino in Baraga, lived on unemployment, built a race car, and wound up in Wisconsin.
How did I wind up in Wisconsin? I was chasing a girl who reminded me a lot of what I had lost... but had qualities that I had wish had been in my marriage (and I think were, but we're not talking my blindness here). I spent a lot of time in Ashland, WI. Found a job as a dishwasher and then cook. Started Dating lynn. Found a technical job (finally), and went to work for HSI Business Center. The job is a lot of titles: Systems admin, ISP Administrator, Network Serice, Computer Service, and Internet (wireless and dial-up) installer/technician. There are two of us. Me and Will (he's in the friends page). We handle all the stuff that makes money for the whole shop. Over-worked is an understatement.
Here I sit in Wisconsin. Not sure what I'm up to otherwise. Not interested in things the way that they are. I got a new car, drive beater trucks in the winter, work, and dedicate my life to the SCA because it beats the hell out of real life. I do a lot of scribal because it's a good way to serve when you cannot travel enough. I'm not really happy for some reason, but I'm better than I was. I just want to find the people/person who finishes the whole masterpiece of reality. If you want to keep up with the details, go to my live journal (link on home page).
This chunk of the site is not meant to contain everything. It's just a synopsis. If you feel slighted or left out, please don't. It's just a summary.