Autobiography

[Coyote]

Figured I'd post some pics from my autobiography I created as part of my Seminar course several years ago-  They wanted a "Creative Project" that illustrated your connection to the social work profession, or something silly like that.  The master's in social work isn't exactly the most intense degree...  This was originally a power point with music and 60+ photos.  I really should update it to cover the next 5 years...

[Coyote]

Childhood- 

I grew up on a small farm in Maine

My dad was a teacher and school principal, but we also raised various animals to help make ends meet

I preferred reading to most other activities, and always had an overactive imagination

Vacation Bible School, which left me unable to tolerate organized religion for years to come...

[Coyote]

Adolescence

I lacked skills in sports, but this did not keep me from trying...

I hoped to find something that I could excel at- skiing wasn't it-

Nor skateboarding...

I still preferred my own company.

Graduation and escaping Maine for College

[Coyote]

College

A small private liberal arts college in Massachusetts.  I'm still paying for it.

My assigned roommate- a mildly psychopathic pyromaniac from northern California-  we're still close

I always found myself drawn to the "different" people in college.  The artists.  The mentally ill.  Those who were both.

Spent a semester at University College in Cork, Ireland.  Hung out with socialists.  Fun guys, but the revolution ain't coming any time soon ,boys.

Back to the states, I pursued a degree in Sociology...

[Coyote]

College Part 2

My senior thesis was an ethnographic study of the non-racist skinhead subculture in Providence RI-  got to spend a lot of time in bars...

Thesis completed, took a trip to Italy with my brothers- 

The pigeons of St. Mark's Square in Venice are vicious.  We filled my younger brother's hood with birdseed...

On to Rome.  The ruins were cool.

Back to school, graduation and the real world

[Coyote]

The Real World

My $100K education prepared me to... bar tend in Boston for a couple years

Got bored with that.  Went to Taiwan.

With no experience or ability, they paid me good money to "teach" impressionable Chinese children English

Wandered back to Maine, moved into a shack behind my parents house.

My dad, clearly fearing I'd be a permanent fixture, urged me to apply for a job as a Child Protective Social Worker for the state.  Why not?

[Coyote]

Social Working...

I sat for an interview, and somehow they found me qualified

My supervisor later revealed that he hired me largely based on my bartending experience.

It was an incredibly interesting job-


Even if it wasn't always much fun...

And though I had two cats and a bunch of houseplants, something was missing...

[Coyote]

Growing up.

I was set up on a blind date by co-workers-  who knew that actually can work?  We met in a bar, just in case it was a disaster, hey, there's still beer!

It worked.  Suddenly I had a "roommate" and 3rd cat. 

Realizing I wasn't going to be satisfied forever in my current job, I started a master's degree program, while working full time- 3 years, Friday nights and Saturday mornings. 

Yuck.  But I had a piece of paper which said I am now entitled to be a therapist, and make very little money.  It would be three more years before I would actually take a job which used that piece of paper.

Anyway, I got the degree, got married to Tracee, and lived happily ever after.  Well, so far-  the house didn't look like the one in the picture, it looked more like the photo of the shack a further up.  But yeah, that was my life up to 2005.  Later came mortgage, new job, and babies.  But that's another story.  Maybe I shoot it some day.  Cheers!    -ED-

[Richard]

FANTASTIC !!! ... 

I loved it, Coyote ... 

You are a wonderful story-teller! ... ... ... ... ...

Thank you for sharing your life's story!

What's next?

Richard

[Jimbo]

That is a great story!  I enjoyed it very much.
May you continue living happily ever after!

Best regards,
Jimbo