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Sunday, October 2, 2011

The Beginning: In so many words


I got this idea recently while driving to a hospital ER at 3:00AM on a Monday in the middle of a record downpour in Cincinnati. That idea was why not start a blog to tell and show people the things I was doing and thinking while I'm home?


With that, let me back up and explain who I am and the current situation my life is in to date.  My name is Dan, and I'm a recent college graduate and commissioned officer in the military.  Shortly after graduating, I had expected to enter active duty and travel across the country to perform my job.  Coincidentally, the United States' economy (much like the world's) saw it fit to tank recently, leaving no money to send little ol' me to service.


So here I am, in Cincinnati, living with my parents for the first time really since leaving for college. As many of my friends will be able to tell you  I'm extremely open about my life when asked, but typically keep things to myself. Mainly I don't like to feel like I'm intruding on people's lives, so by writing it for people to read on their own accord people can read if they'd like or continue with their lives as they please. 


That being said (well written... well typed I suppose), I'll take the first couple of blogs to recap my life up to the present. This first one will pretty much cover up until high school, with the next one covering high school and college. 


Born and raised on the West side of Cincinnati, I grew up in what can undoubtedly be called a bubble.  Unless you grew up or have lived in the greater Cincinnati area for any extended amount of time, you don't quite have a full understand of what that entails.  I like to put it in this context: the West side of Cincinnati is predominately Catholic. By predominately, I of course mean that directions are dictated by what parish you need to hang the next left afterwards.  I grew up in a family in which we didn't attend a church, so growing up and to this day the whole "going to church on Sunday" thing is a bit foreign, and quite frankly frightening.  That's especially true when it seems like you're the only kid in the world who isn't going.  To quell any sort of creeping thoughts or suspicions, yes I'm religious (it's something I've gotten slowly more comfortable with over time).


Growing up though wasn't all too bad for me though, and I'll never make a claim that I had it difficult as a kid.  My parents are two of the most wonderful and upstanding people that anyone can have the pleasure of knowing.  To this day, despite a lot which has happen, my parents are my mentors, idols, and heroes.  My Pop is a brilliant man who is proud to a fault and would give the shirt off of his back to help anyone who may need it.  He served in the military much like his father before him had and many in my family had in previous generations (it's a bit of a trend). Unfortunately his military career was struck short when he was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease which causes tears in the tissue of the small and large intestine.  Needless to say it isn't pleasant, and was deemed to be 100% disabled and released from the military.  Despite the condition that was set before him, he has labored over the last 30 plus years to provide for not just himself but my Mum and I, and has asked nothing in return.  Humble and diligent, that's the kind of man I can only hope to become so I can achieve half of what he has.


God love my Mum. I tell people when talking about my mother that I don't know how she does it, and by "it" I mean put up with my Pop and I on any given day.  She can be described no better than the glue (and I'm about to start saying the epoxy) which holds our family, and honestly each of us together.  She was a dietitian by trade, but stopped working to support me and my endless list of shenanigans growing up.  Many parents funnel their kids into different activities to focus the efforts of their children. Mine let me go which ever the wind may be blowing that day, and asked no questions.  I played soccer and hockey before baseball finally prevailed. Sport games and practices, check. In the first grade of the elementary school I attended we could begin playing an instrument. I chose the viola, so that meant lessons, rehearsals and concerts, check.  Oh, and because I lived in an area which the public schools weren't the best, my parents sent me to a private school 20 miles from my home. Trips to and from school each day, check.  Every practice, lesson, game, concert, and school event my Mum was there, and more often than not my Pop too. If you can't tell, I like to brag about my parents a lot like parents like to brag about their children.


So to fill some back story in quick order.  My Pop's health since I've been alive has always been what I'd say "questionable." Crohn's Disease is the tip of the iceberg with nearly 30 other medical conditions contributing at this point (no, the 30 is not an exaggeration). Significant contributors include diabetes, an aneurysm of the ascending Aorta, vertigo, broken ankles, and broken fibula and tibia have meant that I am quite familiar with the emergency rooms of the greater Cincinnati area. My Mum had a clean bill of health up until 2001, at which point she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  It goes without saying I despise going to a doctor for myself.


I grew up in a context where it was my parents and I, with what seemed like all improbable random odds against us.  We "kept on keeping on" and random incidents and maladies managed to find their ways to us.  Growing up I found my escape from these things in baseball, viola, school and working. Now with these same things facing me, I'm no longer sure where to find my retreat and sanctuary. So here I am blogging.


We'll see how this goes whole experiment goes for a couple of blogs. This didn't quite cover everything which I hoped, but I don't want to make these all to extensive or wordy. Hope everyone is doing well and had a phenomenal weekend!


drh

3 comments:

  1. As always, well done good sir, well done.

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  2. I sincerely hope that a certain caffeinated beverage shop to be gets a shout out in one of the future posts.

    On a more serious note, good first post, sir.
    -Kip

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  3. Well written as always bud. And well done too, this is a really cool idea!

    --MJC III

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