Introduction
Hello, all. Welcome to my corner of Geminispace. Like you, I'm speaking to the universe in an attempt to foster a connection with someone who might engage in thoughtful dialogue. That's something that has been sorely missing from my life for quite some time.
I am the quintessential Gen Xer, coming of age in a household where both parents worked of necessity to provide a lower-middle class standard of living. A latch key kid who spent most of his childhood alternatively roaming the woods in and around my small town, or playing Atari 2600 games on loan from a local public library. Summer nights of impromptu kickball games with the neighbors followed by catching "lightning bugs" (fireflies) in a jar and camping in the yard. I shit you not--this is how we lived back then.
We were fiercely independent in our adolescence. I pressed to get my temporary driving permit the day I became eligible and likewise took my final test as soon as the law allowed. I jumped in a worn-out, hand-me-down car that day and was gone. Life was spent exploring every square mile of the county and hanging out at the house of one friend or another. That is, when I was not at school or--stay with me--in church.
My family appeared devout in our fundamentalism. There were two services every Sunday and another on Wednesday night. Mom sang in the choir; dad was a deacon. Christianity was on display for the outside world, less so at home. I believe my parents were doing their best. I suspect that is how it is for most everyone, but I'm sure I will come back to that later. Probably repeatedly.
I was an OK student, likely gifted with a touch of ADD (though no one used that term in those days). I could never get motivated to excel unless I was genuinely interested in the content and was thoroughly satisfied with a solid B average when it came to my marks. Honestly, it was not until graduate school that I managed a 4.0, which I completely attribute to the fact that no learning was required on any topic other than my major. I was deeply enamored with my content.
My high school sweetheart and I were married after college, and divorced several years later. We have one adult child, who we collaboratively coparented for almost two decades. Our split was relatively mutual compared with what you'd see on daytime television. I've had only one serious relationship since then, which lasted five years. After it collapsed, I gave up on the idea of romantic coupling. I may have even abandoned the concept of meaningful relationships. I often yearn for them, but I am not sure our world allows them anymore. That might be the fault of technology.
I have adored technology for a long time. We were required to take a newly added word processing class in middle school. I immediately started saving my pennies and bought an 8-bit home computer around the time I entered high school. I borrowed books from the library and taught myself to program, first in BASIC and then Machine Language. I would pack up and tote my entire rig if I went to stay with my grandparents for the weekend. My grandfather told me to major in computer science in college. Honestly, I am glad I didn't, even though I would have made significantly more money that way. If technology had become my career, I would probably hate using it. Today, I don't hate technology, but definitely have mixed feelings.
You see, my adoration with technology has become... troubled. I am not convinced it is good for us. In fact, I'm fairly certain technology is what has led me to the place where this journal is even necessary. As implied above, it could be the reason for many of our current social ills. Many people are no longer connecting with others in meaningful ways, despite the fact these tools promised greater levels of communication than ever before. I suppose that promise was delivered, but the other reality is at the same time true. How complicated. But like many of the topics touched on above, I am sure there is much more to come.
Anyway, thanks for reading all of this. I have not written publicly about such things in many years. If you're so inclined, I would enjoy hearing from you.
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