Who am I?

It occurred to me sometime this evening that many (or some, outside of my family) may not know who I am. And by that I mean, who is this rambling50 guy?

As this blog has been going for nearly seven years, I think most have a respectable idea of what I am about. However, it isn't always easy to read between the lines for some. So, I thought I'd make this fairly simple ... this is me. (Wow, seven years).

I am an aging, 56 years old by last count, husband, father and grandfather. My family means everything to me. I would not be anything without the love and support of My Beloved; she is my world. Well, other than someone who doesn't sit still long enough to have a normal conversation. I am a grinder. I push. I set my eye on a job to do, and I go after it. Case in point, over the past couple days, I (aided by My Beloved) have ripped off a house full of cedar siding and pulled up room after room of carpet. I am a very hands-on kinda guy. I'd rather get my hands dirty when it comes to work. It is serenity; a mind-easing state of bliss. A good work-up of sweat is a beautiful thing.

I have been a retail manager for thirty years. It is hard work with a demanding schedule that changes from week to week. This type of work means having your eye on many things at once. Running a store is a complicated task. But, it has been a good life, one that keeps me up with the times. Training a new generation what it means to 'go to work' has had its rewards. In turn, they keep me on the ball. Otherwise, I wouldn't know an iPad from a crescent wrench. (Yeah, I used to run a hardware store. An awesome job, by-the-way).

I am fairly conservative by nature. I believe the world doesn't owe you anything. To help the poor is noble, but to help the lazy and intolerant is ridiculous. As a Catholic who doesn't really go to church, I still hold the beliefs instilled in the days of my youth. Nuns can make a deep impression on the heart of a little boy. They did with me. The religious world is by its nature, a man-made institution trying to explain a Godly existence. They fail often, because they are human. Clergy aren't divine. They suffer from the same failings as the rest of us, but to cover up what the Church systematically seems to have done, makes me hang my head in shame. THAT, is not a failure of religion, that is a failure of faith.

As I cast my eyes on the upcoming decades, I know my world will change. The world spins below us and our memories recede, and those close to us fade with it. However, what should never fail us is a spirit of adventure; a spirit of learning. Move forward or coalesce into nothingness. I believe one should strive to learn something new every day. I see the world these days often through the eyes of my grandson. He's five years old. Nearly every day is an adventure, a new experience, a new way to see the world.

It is through his eyes, his spirit of learning and adventure that I try to experience the last decades of my footfalls on this blue marble. His eyes have invigorated my spirit these past few years and to a point, influenced my writing. As an author, it gives perspective; it gives enthusiasm to the solitary existence of writing, for writing is just that; a lonely proposition where you rely on yourself to pull the load.

I am a writer, along with all the responsibilities that come with every thing else we face in this world. I hope those who read these pages continue to follow along on my thoughts on just about anything ... in no particular order.