Sometimes the storm is raging around us and we think we are all alone.
Why I Have Not Been Faithfully Posting This Week
I wanted to share this with everyone on Steemit. I have been posting a little less regularly because I am very busy this last week. As I explained in my introductory post, I quit high school on October 10, 1979 in hopes that my future was in rock and roll. About nine months later I realized I had seriously screwed up and joined the military. The Coast Guard was good to me and over the years I took a college class here and there until I had enough credits to receive a Bachelors of Science. Interestingly in spite of my love of physics, I became a history teacher. While I know I am not that high school drop out educationally, internally I still am in many ways.
Tomorrow I am defending my doctoral dissertation. This has been quite a journey for me. I wrote it about my time as an inner-city teacher, some of it is my basis for my writing here. I am not sharing this to tell you how smart I am, I am telling you this so you know that no matter how big the mistake is that you have made in your life, you can come back from it.
Like Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel Said: Don't Give Up
Before I joined the military there were some really dark days. There were two weeks when I had nothing, and I mean nothing to eat. My diet was water. I was so desperate I went through all of my clothing looking for spare change. Those two weeks were non-stop storms and no work; it was awful (there was a horrible recession in 1979/80). But I survived it, since then I have to have a full pantry.
I was constantly hustling for work whether as a day laborer on construction sites or washing cars. If it was honest I was up for it. I was often working on an empty stomach and praying I could make it until the check got cashed. You never realize how many food commercials there are on television until you are really hungry and sleeping in cheap motel rooms.
A Wisp Of A Boy In the Halls of Academia
So tomorrow is a huge day for me. From an unskilled wisp of a failed rock and roll musician to defending a dissertation, this is a big deal for me. So please indulge me a few words of advice. One, never give up on your dreams. As soon as I am done with my dissertation I am working with my artist to get the artwork for my debut CD finished, it is at 90%. I am also working on a marketing plan. The music is mastered and ready, I am very happy. Some of those songs are 35 years old and should be heard. Two, you have never screwed up so badly you cannot come back from it. If a dirty gutter rat can defend a dissertation, you can accomplish your dreams. Three, always tell the people you love how you feel about them. Someday my children will never see me again. What is the last memory I want them to have of me? I want them to hear me say “I love you.”
Peace, love and rock and roll,
M.
Photo Credits: All pictures were taken with my Canon EOS60D, I photographed the tree in the North Dakota snow storm. My rock and roll picture was taken by my musical partner's son. The last shot was taken by son 2.
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Hello! I am Mike K. I am an educator, lifelong student, military vet and wannabe musician. I have a love of history, economics, philosophy and motorcycles. I am quickly moving from minarchy to Christian anarchy philosophically and want people to stop meddling. My debut CD should be out soon!
