Sliding Doors

I'm a bit of a dreamer. I'm not the only one.

I got to thinking how I got to where I am. What was the pivotal point.....the one point in time that got to me where I am today.

To the best of my knowledge it all goes back to 9th grade.....and two women  whom I met, Beth Dusesoi and Katy Fernie.

I met Beth first. She was different from the rest...as was I. Via Beth I met Katy. Beth and I were good friends and Katy and I were friends.

For 10th grade we all moved to a brand new high school. We were the first 10th graders and the highest grade as the school started with just freshman and sophomores.

Katy was interested in Journalism and was enrolled in newspaper right away. Early on she asked me if I had a camera and if I wanted to be a newspaper photographer. I had used my dads Canon AE-1 a few times. Why not? Being the first photographer I was instantly Chief Photographer! Katy was Editor in Chief.

Aside from newspaper there was a yearbook staff also in the journalism room. With only one darkroom I became great friends with the Chief Photographer for yearbook, Katrina Brown. We were both quirky and got along great. We became great friends and even went to a few Homecoming dances together (even though there were no former students coming home....since I would be in the first graduating class).

Another woman in yearbook was one of the Co-Editors in Chief (still not sure how that went down) Emily Wallwin.

Emily and I had gone to the same schools since Kindergarden but didn't really know each other well. This would change during my junior and senior years. We hung out often. I'm pretty sure I had my first drunk experience at her house. Her mom was very nice and I was at their house often. I even had the honor of taking Emily to prom.

When it came time for college I followed Katy to Texas Tech to major in Photo-Journalism. I fell in love with photography.

That lasted all of one year. I didn't care for Texas Tech. I sent physical letters and later e-mails to Emily (still don't know how that started) and became closer friends. She went to Stephen F. Austin. Since I didn't care for Texas Tech I decided to head east to Stephen F. Austin for the rest of my college career.

Emily was a Resident Assistant and encouraged me to apply. Why not I get my own room. Sometime between Texas Tech and Stephen F. Austin Emily and I began dating.

While in training to be a Resident Assistant I vividly remember standing in a hallway next to a tall and large black guy named Larry Campbell. He asked if I was in a Fraternity. I wasn't. He was. He encouraged me to join . I rushed and was accepted into the Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity.

Until this point I was a quiet and reserved person. Being in Fraternity really broke me out of my shell.

In my pledge class was a guy named Eric Bridges. He was also in his second year and happened to be living on my floor in my wing. I actually met Eric before rushing as he arrived early and was playing computer games in an nearly empty dorm.

Emily and I broke up.

Katrina drove up from Houston in her Ford Ranger to help bring my stuff home for the summer. We ended up hanging out all summer. She attended SFA the following semester.

Fraternity life was.....wait for it.....legendary. I loved it.

I met Stephanie Holcomb at a Fraternity party and we began dating during my 3rd year in College.

Stephanie and I moved in together and things were great. She was very intelligent and was on track to finish college in 3 1/2 years. I added on a second major to stick around an extra year to be with her. Katrina and I lost touch.

I did have an awesome job driving a school bus. Seriously it was an awesome job.

I graduated in May 2000. My mom passed away in July 2000. Stephanie and I moved to Houston and got decent jobs. We lasted until March 2001. Done. Stephanie moved back home with her mom in the Dallas area.

Somewhat foolishly I got a job in the Dallas area teaching computer repair at a community college to chase Stephanie.  I moved up to the Dallas area in April 2001. It never worked. Stephanie and I were done again.

I was laid off from being a teacher in August 2001. Nearly broke I got a "temporary job" at NCR in late September 2001. I hoped I would land a better job soon.

Around this time Katrina and I reconnected. It was like we never stopped talking.

Still being somewhat new in town I asked Katrina to find me a girlfriend. She placed an ad on Match.com FOR ME. She kept calling (no texting back then) and asking odd questions. I later learned about the ad.

I met one woman named Dorie and then I met the woman who would become my wife....Kelli Richmond.

I met Kelli at a Chilis. She looked like she was 16. I asked for an ID...she didn't have one as she just moved to Texas from California. Three years later I would propose to her in that same Chilis.

Eric was the best man at our wedding.

That's about it. Well I quit that temporary job at NCR in 2005 after being there 4 years. Eventually Kelli pushed me to pursue flying...which is what I've been doing for 7 years now.

That's how I got to where I am now. As best as I can tell it all started with Beth Dusesoi and Katy Fernie. Without meeting those two I am fairly certain I would not be where I am today.

I'm still friends with everyone except Stephanie....gotta love Facebook.