Keeping the Past from Disappearing

Lack of time and atrophied writing skills have discouraged me from starting a blog. But this seems like a good way to record some thoughts and experiences before they disappear from memory. I have no illusions of attracting a significant number of readers; that's not the point. This is a place to prevent too much of the past from disappearing, and perhaps to share a little bit of my life with a few people.

I was surprised to find so many possible website addresses for the blog already taken. I was even more struck by how many of these blogs had one only post or none at all. I mean, if you're going to take up a good blog web address, at least use it, right?

But to be honest, I wrote the above two paragraphs on January 10 and just took this up again today. So, yeah, I've been one of those non-writers. Ironically, as part of my job at Lafayette College, I oversee a student blogging website, and I'm always reminding my students to write because it's been too long since their last post. Let's hope none of them stumble across this!

How does anyone find the time to write a personal blog anyway? Between work, family, church/volunteering, a little bit of exercise and a little bit of TV to relax, I don't get enough sleep (like most everyone), much less have time for a blog. But let's see if I can manage my time better and write here from time to time.

A little background: I'm 41, married to the most beautiful woman on earth, Janine, and have a 10-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son. We live in the College Hill neighborhood of Easton, Pa., where Janine and I graduated from Lafayette College.

Janine works part-time advising the international students at Lafayette and enjoys cooking, Japanese culture, Disney World, and the TV show Lie to Me, among many other interests. She loves her work with the students and does so much to make their lives better.

Isabelle began at Easton Middle School and loves reading, anime, and spending time on the computer, where's she's started and abandoned three blogs herself (guess you know where she gets it from).

Oliver is in first grade and began playing soccer on a team this fall after playing baseball in the spring. He loves playfighting with me and our dachshund, Rupert.

This year I joined the elder board and the missions committee of the church I've attended since 1993, Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Easton. I started and led a two-church ministry to a Burmese refugee family for its first 14 months in the United States, after which they moved. I enjoy playing basketball, reading comic books, and watching superhero cartoons with Oliver. I work at Lafayette as associate director of website and video content. Previously, I worked at a newspaper company and then a magazine company in writing and editing capacities.

Thanks for reading my first blog post. I'm sure you're in select company.