Well, with 2012 in what you could call "Full Swing", I think it's time to start living up to the resolutions I've put upon myself. 2011 was not the best year for us as a family, though we did have some very high points as well. With everything that Happened, I had to take a long hard look at the negative things that happened to us, as well as the positive things that happened to us. The point of life is to learn, to evolve and to implement changes that will improve the quality of life for yourself, and for those around you, and hopefully, for the world around you. The changes all start with oneself though, no matter what.

And now for the relevant part of this post, haha. 2011 hit us pretty hard in a lot of ways. Heather was laid off from the job we both worked at, which took our income to half of what it was. We then, in turn, had to move from the house we really loved, into a smaller place. That whole series of events pretty much set into motion wave after wave of further difficulties. Long story short, it was not a good year. Hard times like that are often a crossroads for a lot of people, and so it was for us. I took a good look at the way I was living my life, and where my priorities were, and where they NEEDED to be. For years, I had been chasing what I can only describe as "immortality", by playing in bands, making music, and basically seeking renown from an entire subculture of people in hopes of making an impact on the world. Well, needless to say, "immortality" doesn't come cheap or easy, and certainly not without a price. Well, I kept paying the price to achieve it, without getting anything back for it. At this point is where I ultimately had a quite sudden, profound epiphany about where my energy was being spent. After witnessing two separate funerals, and seeing how each of the families responded to the loss of their loved ones, I realized what I had to do, and what I had to change.

Life is very short. Depressingly short. Most of us don't get the chance to impact the lives of very many people. But there are still those very FEW people that we do. My two crowning achievements in life have been marrying my wife, and having our daughter. That being said, at a bare minimum, there are two peoples' lives I'm being given the chance to touch. My wife is my partner, my best friend, my unconditional supporter, and the ONE person who has stuck by me through all my struggles. My daughter is an amazing little girl, who's growing up faster than I'd care to admit. It scares the crap out of me sometimes. There are so many influences that affect a child. The things I teach my daughter now, and the things I share with her, are going to be the things she teaches someone else, and shares with them. Do I want that to be hatred, or anger, or contempt, or wickedness? Absolutely not. I want her to be a woman of peace, who cares for those who need it, who respects herself and everyone else. And that is where new beginnings are born; when the need for change is found, and then implemented.

Therefore, this blog isn't going to be a tutorial, or a sermon, or a lecture. It's going to be more of a documentary of my personal journey. Just an account of my life, my perspectives, the things I learn from my experiences, and the lessons, values and morals I'll be teaching my daughter, and maybe some other people hopefully. I am not limiting this blog to any particular subject matter, it's all going to be based off my experiences, so that could include absolutely anything I come into contact with or see or hear. This first post is more of a detailed summary of the how's, why's and what's. I hope you enjoy the coming posts, and I hope you can learn a little from them, and be able to benefit from the things that have helped me make positive changes in my life. Be sure to "Check The Male" next time, for some (hopefully) enlightening male perspectives.