I've been doing all this reconnecting recently with people with whom I haven't had a substantive conversation in 20+ years — which got me thinking I should just write up a short blurb of my life since then. Because without the backstory, having even Facebook "friends" with whom you don't at least share a laugh now and then is just an exercise in polite cocktail party chatter, counting coup, and social masturbation.
So — at the risk of "too much information" in response to a perfunctory rhetorical "How's it going?" — here goes:
After high school I went to [small liberal arts college in upstate NY] and loved it. Majored in studio art; did lots of painting and photography and ceramics. Effectively double minored in theater and chasing the sort of good-looking women I hadn't previously had the confidence to talk to.
Graduated with decidedly indefinite plans. Traveled around Europe for a month before contracting Salmonella (miserable sickness I'd wish on few outside the neo-con Project for a New American Century). Came home early, recovered, worked my old bartending job to play out that summer, then moved back to Philly in the fall and fell into a gig as the A&E editor for a local professional monthly newspaper. Did arts and restaurant reviews, played some guitar in bad bands at night, and painted in my cheap loft. Eventually, the paper started having to borrow money to make payroll — at which point I bowed out, hopped in the car and drove across the country, hiking and camping, and visiting friends along the way. Returned to Philly energized, finished up a novel, took a job at a nearby Borders, and applied to graduate writing programs.
Left Philly for grad school in Boston in '93, and have lived here ever since. Did tons and tons of reading and writing, along with further chasing of women, wrote a pretty good full-length play as my master's thesis, graduated, and put my degree to use, teaching college writing and lit. Did that for several years, while concurrently working contract publishing and editing jobs. Published a few articles and poetry, sold a bunch of paintings. Finally, editing led me into technical editing (thankfully, better pay), and in the waning days of the tech bubble, I was offered a full-time gig at a big B2B software company, which I'm fortunate enough to still hold.
Along the way, I met a funny, smart, beautiful woman, and eventually and humbly asked her to marry me. (For good or ill, I did so on a quiet Saturday afternoon, with a load of laundry in the washer, sitting on the couch, the bling in my pocket. I thought, "Screw pretense, this is what life is like.") She agreed and we soon got hitched. (The only problem with my technique, of course, is that my wife now says things like, "You can't throw that out. That's the ratty old sweatshirt you were wearing when you proposed.")
We've done some traveling here and there, had our share of ups and downs, she got an MFA as well and is a good writer in her own right. The real estate market allowed us to trade in my non-descript bachelor condo for a house, which we've since partly gutted and rehabbed, and in which we're currently raising the two most beautiful, smart, and funny girls I've ever seen (for which I'd like to take credit, but the editor in me notes I used the very same three adjectives to describe my wife, above. Coincidence? Methinks not.).
That's about it. Not too much excitement at the macro level. Health is good, thank god, despite various broken bones and such along the way. Continue to play hockey once a week and do daily lifting of kids to stay in shape.
Not that you asked.
Between this and your post above, you appear to be a very connected artist and explorer. When's your next adventure, Ernest? Love to meet you sometime!
Posted by: fubk | December 02, 2008 at 09:15 PM