Why I do the Things I do?

For me, understanding why I am the way I am and why I am working, thinking and doing the things I do boils down to a few key words: poverty and abuse. Bottom line.

When I was young, I was enthralled by geography. Maps, pictures of places, Europe, Greece, facts and figures. All I did was study about history and cultures and maps and flags. I was obsessed with the Ms. Universe pageant, keeping scores as they program went on. I was enthralled by the Olympics, especially the parade of nations. The flags of each country, I memorized at an early age.

But as time went on, my opportunities diminished. Well, they were never there. Poverty. That is what it is like. Go to a museum...can't. Go to a show...can't. Go to a speech or a literary reading or anything else remotely defining culture...can't. You have logging. You have cow pastures. You have deer. You have Friday Night Lights. Football was what it all revolved around.