Every Blog Begins Somewhere

This is my first entry into what will be a running commentary of my life.

In keeping with my insecurities, I hope I don’t screw it up.

The screaming of the clock
This morning was early. Woke at 7am, repeatedly slammed the snooze bar until 7:30. Ambled to the shower to get ready for class.

Made it to class on time and listened to Omar speak on Socialism and Karl Marx. I could listen to Omar talk all day about history. He is Jordanian, and has an extensive background in History and just politics in general. He travels all over the world, taking all sorts of photos and then brings the slides to class.

The guy has brought in about six or eight sets of slides of artwork and museums around the world that he has taken himself. None of the slides belong to the university.

Fascinating.

Man, I want to have traveled like that by the time I am his age.

---

Disappointment
Got home, and found out that Cheryl is not pregnant. She was 17 days late today, but the unwelcome signs of the woman’s experience had reared its ugly head. I was (and am) disappointed. Not in her, nor me, just sad that we aren’t blessed with a child just yet. I want more than anything to be a father.

This afternoon was errand running. Wal-Mart, the pharmacy, and gas for the car. Ah how the humdrum life asserts it’s will upon me.

Rise up and throw off the leash of domestication!

I wallow for a moment in my rebellious spirit. Then, common sense reasserts itself, and I continue my trek around Interstate 270 to the comforting bustle of suburbia.

The blessings and curses of higher education
Presently, I am procrastinating (following in a grand tradition, but just not now) and avoiding working on a rough draft of my research paper that is due Tuesday night. It’s on the rights of prison inmates to education, and I feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall.

I really enjoy being back in school, but sometimes I wonder if I wasn’t insane trying to carry nearly a full time schedule with working full time.

Ergh. So that’s what an aneurysm feels like.

Then I look at Cheryl and re-examine all our hopes and dreams and realize that it is something I have to do. It is somewhat for me, but mostly for us. I want to be a good provider, like my father was for mom and I. I don’t seek that position blindly. I don’t expect Cheryl to stay home with the kid(s), but we have agreed that she will be a stay-at-home-mom. If we want to keep food on the table that means a college education for me and a better paying job.

Tech support pays nicely, but network admins get much better money. I don’t think I could be a programmer. That seems like cut-and-paste work. For most corporations anyway. Unless you are in software development, you are not doing anything new, just updating existing code.

Gah. That would be like the guy that works in the manufacturing line turning the same nut on each car that passes by. Can’t see myself doing that.

Must stop this for now. The paper has to be done and it’s not getting done this way.

Prologue

Welcome to my online journal.

What you’ll find here is usually a running commentary of my life. It’s mostly my observations about what is happening around me, as well as rants, ravings, and other minutiae. My moods tend to run the gamut from sarcasm to humor to anger to depression.

You may find that it’s a bit frank and open. If you do, then I’ve succeeded in my goal of being, well, me.

My main reason for doing this is to give my family and my child (or any future children) an understanding of who I am. Maybe that sounds strange, but don’t we all want to understand our parents and family members a little bit better? I sure did.

This site also serves as a platform for me to keep my family updated in regards to my wife (Cheryl) and my daughter (Emma) as well as a way for me to write short fiction and other stories. Occasionally you’ll find links to various photo albums that I post here to let the family in on how we’re all doing. All in all, I’ve been making entries off and on for several years now. Only within the last year did I set up this site and put my journal online.

One day you may find a rant, the next a work of fiction, the day after that a new photo album. I try to keep it somewhat varied and unpredictable.

So, if you feel like reading about or learning about me and my family, feel free to carry on. Just because you’re not family doesn’t mean you aren’t welcome. Otherwise, thanks for stopping by.

Thanks,
Chris