As I make my journey through the world, racing against the sands of time, I meet fellow travelers along the way. Some are weary from the long road, while others are fresh, and ready to push on. Those I have met throughout my lifetime have contributed to who I am. Some have had a special significance in my life, and they have a very special place in my heart.
My family is a great source of support and stregnth for me. My
immediate family has a few members:
My sisters are my best friends; and my closest. But although we are no longer children, we still do laugh, cry, play, and fight with each other. If anybody knows me best, it is they. I love them both very much.
My parents are young in comparison to most of my friends' parents, or so it seems. My mother is an Emergency Medical Technician and currently works at the Emergency Room in Cox-South Medical Center in Springfield, Missouri. She likes to sew and cross-stitch. My father owns several small businesses, the most prominent being Ekard Autobody in Monett, MO. He also owns Rick's Reloading and Guns, and B&D Hobbies and More, also located in Monett. He has many interests, the most recent being his late-model racecar.
My nephew, Nicholas, is the youngest of the family, and an absolute ham. His birthday is in August, when he will be three years old. We lovingly call him "mijo."
Another member of my family who is exceptionally influential in my life is my Nana. She is my father's mother. We are more alike than not, both in temperment as well as tastes. We even share the same birthday. I lived with her through most of my high school years in Franklin, MA. She taught me the way that spirit will allow one to live through the most hell, and still come up shining and smiling.
I include my friends in my love, because they too are special to me. Most of my friends I now associate with MIT, but I atill keep in touch with some from my High School Years. Though I talk to them infrequently, due to our busy lives, we still try to find the time to catch up on each other's lives.
There are a few girls from High School that I still call and talk to alot. These women are exceptional in their own right, and are true, though physically distant, friends. Joyelle Gromelski graduated with me from High School. She is currently attending Bridgewater State University. Helen Yu, who also graduated with me, attends Purdue University. Heather "prunes" Prunier was also a high school buddy, and she currently works at Franklin Nursing Homes. Virginia "Ginny" Nichols goes to school at Salve Regina University.
Sabina Novak, whom I met through her mother, is one of those women who is truly remarkable. Having been through lots of emotional stress through most of her life, she nevertheless came out shining. Her mother was my boss at Taco Bell, Inc. She is now a Pharmacy Technician and recently got engaged to her long term boyfriend.
Upon coming to MIT, I seemed to have met a numerous amount of people here through different settings. I would suggest that you browse through the list of Homepages on the SIPB server, and get to know many of the people I call friends here at MIT...
Here at MIT I was able to have animal companionship. When I arrived as a freshman, I came with two rats. Named Sammy and Jack, I had inherited them from my cousins. Sammy died the summer of my Freshman year. Jack died this year, on Memorial Day weekend. Last Christmas, I did adopt another rat, named Todd, to keep Jack company. And the newest addition is Mike, who is really neat looking because he is a light brown color, but has the pink eyes of the albino. Rats have a lifespan of about 3-5 years, and they are quite sociable and clean animals, contrary to popular myth. They remind me of my intense curiousity, and attentiveness to detail.
I no longer own the rats, due to unfortuate circumstances, but I have recently gotten a son of my own, so to speak. This adorable puppy's name is Kelev, and is currently just under a year old. The picture of him was taken at approximately 6 weeks of age. He is alot of work, and coupled with my studies here at the 'Tute, I don't have much time to myself, but I think that is just OK.
Those whom I know have a large impact on my personality and temperment. Those whom I have met have helped me develop into the person I am.
