I've lived a long life. Seemingly elongated by an interesting life.

I had a turbulent and lived in many different places before I was 11. Up until I was 11, I hadn't gone to a school for two consecutive years. Some years, a half a year or not at all. I had gone to one school twice, having attended at 1st grade and at 4th grade (half a year).

I've never met my father. There was some speculation as to whom he was, however I didn't have a very large family. My mother passed away at 27, 8 days after I turned 9. June 29th...

The next year, my great grandfather passed away on August 29th. He had just retired at 67, a little while after my mother passed.. He fell down on the stairs to the mobile home we lived in. He went to a hospital, and from there to a care facility. He passed shortly after.

I had been living at his place with my grandmother. I had been living with my grandmother since I was 9 months old, but I had often visited/seen/stayed with my mom when she had a place for me to stay. My grandmother was the most generous, humorous, and kind person I know. From her, I learned these things...I loved her more than anything. She passed away the next year, September 29th. 3 years, 3 deaths. She died at 45, heart problems compounded by speed use. I really need to expound upon this later...

I had one close relative left (never knowing who my grandfather was... my mother, grandmother, great grandfather, and great grandmother being only children (as far as I know). My great grandmother decided that I was too young and she was retiring... She left me to be a ward of the state. Ironically, I had found out the *actual* name on my birth certificate than... as I had been in court to hear all of it.

From there, I went to a short term foster care house. It wasn't too bad. Nice family, near where I had lived with my grandmother. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay there. I got shown two other houses that I could stay with for a few years. I picked.... badly.

As luck would have it, the craziness of my earlier life would turn out to be my happy and 'stable' memories of a childhood. Foster care was... traumatizing... I was with them for 8 imperceptibly long years. I got along with one person out of the 6 to sometimes 9 person family. He got stabbed to death when he was 20 at a party because some guys didn't like him.

Life has had it's in and outs from there. Lots of them before there, too.

I don't want anyone to see this as some sort of "pity me" attempt, I just want people to understand where I come from. A lot of people assume I'm a negative person, or that I dwell on only the bad things.. but there's always something to learn from life and experiences.

I hope that people can find good and bad in my life, maybe take a step back to rethink how they see people in the immediate sense, and sometimes have a laugh or two.

Often on several chat programs, and am willing to listen if someone needs to talk or vent. ^_^

I'm also interested in expanding several areas of my education, if anyone has some spare time to tutor <3

double post.

(snip)

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Removed gratuitous use of smilies.

**trying to start a slow heartfelt clap**

but really bro wellcome aboard this ship of fools. It`s aight ,not so bad as im sure you have already noticed
welcome

I've been registered since at least since April of last year, and perhaps lurking 6 months longer. I read at least an hour every day, often more. Amazing people here who are truly dedicated to denying ignorance.

Something I often consider:
It was once explained to me that there is a difference between idiocy and ignorance.

Someone who is an idiot is incapable of understanding a concept. Someone who is ignorant is unwilling to even truly consider the concept at all...

or, as my Economics teacher from High School had originally said...
"A stupid person doesn't know any better, an ignorant person chooses not to know any better."

I think (and I may only speak for myself) we should keep this in mind when engaging in skirmishes of science, theology, or any belief or "fact" (and often especially of our own knowledge).

We, too frequently, let those few who would cover their ears and yell to disrupt our community in an attempt derail us... those few who take our time and energy...

There are 200x as many who speak softly, or speak not at all that are listening, reading... trying to awaken themselves. They already deal with the adverse reactions of relatives, friends, co-workers & the general populace only because they want control of their own lives.

I'm glad to be a part of this place, officially.

welcome to ATS