Birth

The third of 4 children, I was born at Womac Army Hospital in Ft. Bragg, N.C. 1975. Father was in the 82nd Airborne at the time.
He was either jumping from a plane or from the back seat of a squad car. Who knows. I am just sure he wasn't there for my arrival. And no, that doesn't effect who I am today.

Soon after my birth, my father decided he was through with the Army and hitchhiked all the way to Morton, IL and quickly became a truck stop diesel mechanic and later sent for the rest of us..at least I think so....And yes, his stop in Morton has affected who I am today..

A couple different apartments and a sister later, we ventured to a small town called Yates City.

My parents were never really into the "friend" scene. Never talked to more than a couple folks at once. They fought with each other and later blamed us kids for their problems...Perhaps that was true...kids are expensive, and many more things.

I never had too many friends. I wanted friends. Looking back, I have to be honest and say it was my own fault. I complained a lot, used sarcasm to hide my insecurities.

I remember loving art, reading, and writing. When I say writing, I don't mean actually producing a story. I was actually more concerned with how my penmanship looked. I learned how to write cursive at a very young age.

So there I was, in grade school, barely getting by and not enjoying the town in which I lived.

My parents didn't like the town or the people in it so I carried that attitude right along with me to school, and it hurt.
When the other kids left school at 3 pm, they were excited. I never understood that. I dreaded going home.
Work awaited me. Chopping firewood. No cartoons, no snacks and playtime with friends. Just firewood, dinner, homework, and bed.

I would fight with my brothers on a daily basis. I was nicknamed "the alien brother." They swore I was from a different planet. I would cry and tell mom. That never helped. So one evening, while eating mom's black overcooked can you pass the chainsaw porkchops, my brothers asked me, "So Joey, where is your spaceship?" I simply replied as seriously as I could, "I let someone borrow it tonight."
Their jaws nearly hit their plates from shock. I never heard anything regarding aliens or spaceships again after that.

Welcome

Welcome to my "blog." Everyone says I have a story to tell. Maybe I do. Perhaps it will be interesting to some and a good possibility others will relate...

We'll see