ABOUT ME

In the whole scheme of things, I am no one. I am of no importance to anyone and if I should not be here tomorrow, I probably won't be missed. That is of course except for my family. At least that's my hope. I'm a husband, a father and a grandfather. Nothing in this world is more important to me that the four of them. Nothing. I'm just an old soul trying to make it to the next stage, sometimes just the next day, without tumbling, stumbling, falling or without letting the fat guy in the mirror catch up with me. That's my struggle.

I am passionate about my beliefs, and these have been shaped through a life with many battles. I have made many mistakes. Eventually, I started finding the lessons in them.

I am cautiously optimistic, and positive to a fault. I believe there's good in the world, although sometimes it's hidden and hard to find. I believe most people have good intentions. Most I say, because there's always that someone out there trying to prove me wrong.

I was fat, 50 lbs heavier, I was tired. I was in pain and I was angry. I hated the world and everything in it. I was no fun to be around, I didn't like myself very much. Not sure anyone else liked me either. I complained and I blamed. I looked for excuses and always the easy way out.

Everything I touched died. Everything I tried, failed. So I stopped touching and I stopped trying. Success was foreign to me. Once upon a time, I was told by a drunk, yes I’m bitter and I’m working on getting over this, that I would amount to nothing. And that nothing is what I would be.

It was a difficult process and one that tested my will, but I began to believe that life could be different. Things didn't have to be the way the were. With time, I realized that my wife and daughters deserved better, much better. So changed is what I did.

First things first. I changed my self image. I began to do something for "me," because I realized that if I worked for "me," I would do it for "them" as well. I worked on getting physically fit, on getting rid of the extra baggage, and the extra garbage came off as well. As this progressed, my mind, my attitude, and my outlook on life began to change as well. As I began to see progress, I began to believe that in fact, I could do something big. As I crossed the finish line of my very first race, a half marathon, I knew for a fact and without any doubt, that I was now in total control of my life.

I have become an endurance athlete of sorts. I run because I love to run. Any and all distances. I'm also a triathlete and I race any and all distances as well. I look for thrills, for adventures and challenges outside what once would have been my "box".

I am an introvert to the "nth" degree. I enjoy the company of a "few" friends, but would rather spend time alone with my family. I read a lot, and I write a lot more.

I have worked hard to be where I am. I have enjoyed the support and encouragement of many around me. This whole journey could not, would not have been possible without the unlimited love and support of my wife, my daughters and my grandson. I hope they realize what they mean to me.