Welcome to redconky at blogs.ie! This is my first post on my first blog . . . I’m finally joining the 21st Century. I don’t know if only people I tell about the blog will be here, or if people will stumble upon it while travelling the information superhighway, so I will tell you more about who I am.
I grew up in the Detroit area, but since March I’ve been living in Baltimore. I moved here to take a job (and I’m currently looking for a new one, but that’s for another time) and I intend to stay in this area because, well, quite frankly, opportunities are scarce back home. Although I am only 3/8 Irish, I indentify more with my Irish roots because I grew up with my stepfather’s (a.k.a. Dad) Irish Catholic family. However, I converted to the Episcopal church, which ruffled some feathers in the beginning, but now everyone who was initially upset has accepted it.
My first career was as a newspaper reporter, covering local government, schools, quirky human interest stories, and schools. After 5 1/2 years of that, I went back to school to become certified as a secondary teacher in English, journalism, political science and social studies. I am currently teaching English, journalism and yearbook at a small high school in the City of Baltimore. I received word this week that the school will most likely be closed, hence the reason I’m polishing my resume.
I will admit off the bat I’m fairly liberal. I believe one can be patriotic and disagree with decisions made by one’s government at the same time. I opposed the invasion of Iraq from the outset, but I refuse to degrade our men and women in combat. My biological father was spat upon and treated like vermin when he came back from Vietnam, which I believe helped drive him to drink and into an early grave. I realize that many people from outside of the United States don’t understand those of us who say we didn’t want the war but don’t confront the soldiers. If you had been through an experience like we went through with Vietnam (I’d say there are people from the former Soviet Union who had loved ones go through a similar experience who fought in Afghanistan), you’d be able to grasp this seemingly “doublethink” concept. As much as I abhor the war, I don’t think we should pull out immediately, but we should have certain benchmarks in place that state, “When event ‘A’ happens, we will withdraw this amount of troops; when event ‘B’ happens, we will withdraw that amount of troops, etc.”.
On a lighter note, let me just say that I believe U2 is the greatest band of my generation and even though I have a ticket for the Dec. 14 show in St. Louis, I can’t scrounge up the money to fly there nor can I get the time off of work. I’m awfully devoted, but I’ve got bills to pay that can’t comprehend the genius that is U2.
I will say more — much more — about these and many things in the near future. Let me leave you with this: pray for peace on earth and goodwill toward all. And friends don’t let friends listen to Rush Limbaugh (the antithesis of logic and compassion)!
Peace, love, and snocones,
Redconky .<{;-)
