My History...
It all started a long, long time ago, on a cold winter’s night. The wind was blowing, and the snow was falling fiercely to the ground. That day was very special. That was the day I was born. Now I could bore you with the rest of the details but I will just skip through a few years to some important history and then the present day. Anyway, what makes you think that I should share my entire life story with you? Don’t worry… I will tell you what ever you want to know and most likely more!
The Day My Life Changed…
October 14th, 1993 is a day that I will never forget! On that day I was diagnosed with A.L.L. a form of Childhood Leukemia. Many people do not realize this, but there is a big difference between the childhood and adult versions. I was told on that day that I was sure to die and say goodbye to my family, that is something very difficult for someone that is only 14 years old. That was 6 days before my 15th birthday, which I was not supposed to see, according to the doctors.
I’m Stubborn…
I am not someone that has been known to listen when being told to do something, just ask my mom about me growing up. So after 3 years of intense chemotherapy and radiation to my brain, I am still here!
I’m a Fighter!
I have had many experiences during that time that changed me and everyone around me. I have been in cardiac arrest 3 times, I have had a stroke, a heart attack, kidney failure, and many other things happen. But like I said before… I am still here! People always tell me that there must be a reason, that I must have a purpose… I think it is to make the lives of my family and friends miserable, but who am I to say for sure?
Not All Bad!
Not every memory is bad! I used to have squirt gun fights with my nurses in the hospital. I even had a nurse try and teach me how to talk with women, little did she know I would never need it! I have gotten to do some things that no one else ever has and I have gotten to meet some amazing, interesting, and caring people over the years! People that I would have never thought had existed before all of this.
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Are you still with me? There is more… but I hope you think it is worth reading!
Some Good News!
On December 15th, 1995 my doctors told me that they were going to stop the treatments because either the chemo would kill me or the cancer would… again, I am still here! On December 15th, 2000, I was officially labeled as cured of cancer. You only get this when you have been done with chemotherapy for five years.
I’m NOT Bitter!
I have also gone through a lot that no human should ever have to have done to them, happen to them, or should ever have to go through and I hope that it would never happen to you or anyone you know! I do not dwell on this, I do not sit around and say poor me! But it is all a part of my past and you should learn from your past while trying to not let it hold you back in the future!
Street Smarts…
Even though I missed my high school years, I feel that I got more out of what I did do. I feel that I’m better prepared for the world than any class could ever teach.
Work…
I started my professional life teaching computer repair a graphic design at a trade school and then moved on to working for a company that provided internet services and website design. I then went to work for a medium-size western and work retailer, lasted about 6 years there before I had to quit working due to the stress that my boss was putting on me, it was not the job, it was him. I was the computer guy, that did a lot of other things too. I really don’t know how to describe what all I did.
No More Stress!
Then I went to work for Wal-Mart in the Electronics Department but decided to move back up north from Florida to be closer to my family. Now I am a freelance graphic designer and starting some online businesses just to keep me busy.
I’m Edumacated!
I went to college for Computer Science and Psychology. Plus some Communications thrown in there for good measure. I love communications. I love designing print ads and writing radio and TV spots. My other love is computers. Fortunately, these two fields usually overlap in one way or another. If you think about it what doesn’t overlap with computers anymore? I have a very strange sense of humor, which shows if you look at some of my designs in the gallery on this site.
You’re What?!
One thing that you might have noticed about my site is that it has links and references to gay and lesbian ( LGBTQ+ ) issues and more. The reason for this (if it wasn’t already obvious) is that I’m gay. And yes, I’m proud of it. Many of my friends asked me “when I became gay”, or what made me “that way.” I can honestly say that nothing has “made me” anyway. I have always been gay, and I always will be gay. For a long time, I denied that I was gay to myself. I was so good at this denial that I had actually convinced everyone around me that I was not gay. But not just straight, they thought I was some type of “Man’s, Man.” I always had girl friends. Most of which I did nothing with (sexually) or hated myself when I did do something. I might have physically been with a woman, but mentally I was else where.
In Summary…
Through it all, I’m still like everyone else (sort of). I’m looking for someone to love and who loves me. I’m looking for joy out of the little things in life and enjoying everything that I can. I’m looking for life liberty and the pursuit of happiness (isn’t everyone?). Like Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “I have a dream…”