Job History
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an inventor when I grew up. As I got older, it changed to an architect. Then a landscape architect. Then a Humanities professor, an ESL teacher, a professional clown (no joke), a high school Spanish teacher, a park ranger, a children's television program host, and a librarian. In the end, I graduated from college working as a professional balloon twister with no idea of what I wanted to do with my life.
Flash forward seven years. I am now 2/3 of the way through a Master's degree in academic advising, where I'm learning how to help others as they discover and explore their own futures. With all these tools and techniques at my disposal, I've begun to advise one very important client – me.
Location
I grew up in a small town in western Oregon, and I still love the rain. As a matter of fact, as soon as I find a job, I'm moving back to the Pacific Northwest. I currently live in the desert, which is too dry for my liking. The mountains are nice, but I could do without the hot and cold. *Update* The desert is starting to grow on me. Maybe it's the idea of leaving, but I've started to recognize how beautiful it is here. I think I could live here (good thing, too, because I've been here for 10 years).
I grew up in a small town in western Oregon, and I still love the rain. As a matter of fact, as soon as I find a job, I'm moving back to the Pacific Northwest. I currently live in the desert, which is too dry for my liking. The mountains are nice, but I could do without the hot and cold. *Update* The desert is starting to grow on me. Maybe it's the idea of leaving, but I've started to recognize how beautiful it is here. I think I could live here (good thing, too, because I've been here for 10 years).
Work
I have had three main professions in my life. First, I was a clown for six years. I was president of a college juggling club, I juggled for the 2002 Winter Olympics (as an entertainer, not as an athlete), and I worked at a restaurant as a balloon twister for many years. In addition, I've ridden my unicycle in a number of parades (sometimes joining at the last minute). Clowning has helped me to develop my comedic ability, which I use on a daily basis in other aspects of my life.
My current profession is teaching English to international students. I lived in Brazil for two years, and when I returned, I decided I wanted to keep working in the international sector. I graduated from college with a B.A. in Portuguese literature and a minor in TESOL. I've taught students from all over, mainly Latin America and Asia, with a smattering of Africans and Europeans, and I find the diversity of opinions, cultures, and lifestyles fascinating. I enjoy teaching English, but even more I enjoy working with the students.
Someday soon, I'm going to be an academic advisor, preferably in the area of international or multicultural students. I'm currently working on a Master's degree (online) in Academic Advising through Kansas State University. When I started my degree, I didn't really know what an advisor did, but from talking to one advisor, I knew it was what I wanted to do. I love my classes, and have already started applying my new knowledge with my ESL students, and now through my blog. I can't wait until I can make advising my principal focus of my career.
Play
I'm always switching hobbies, but there are a few I come back to over and over. One is mountain unicycling. I love the feeling of flying down a trail, focusing on both what's ahead and what's directly underneath, as either one can cause a sudden unplanned dismount. It takes amazing mental concentration, not to mention an extreme amount of physical coordination. But when I make it through a particularly difficult section of trail, I am all smiles.
Along with unicycling, I enjoy backpacking. There's something beautiful about being out in the forest by myself, just listening and smelling and hearing and feeling nature all around me. I start to feel claustrophobic when I'm in the city for too long, and then I have to get out.
And a third hobby is filmmaking. This is strictly at the amateur level, but quality amateur. As of this writing, I have 41 videos up on YouTube, with more coming whenever I find the time. From my clowning days, I try to make sure that the videos are entertaining, and from my teaching experience, I want to have something worth filming.
Which brings me to my last hobby. I'm a DIY kind of guy. When I was a kid, I wanted to be an inventor, and now I am one. I build my own camping and filmmaking equipment, and then make videos to let others see how it's done. I also spend days planning and drawing things that are never made, like homemade boats, a pop-up camper, recumbent bicycles, and even a portable hydroelectric power generator. It's not necessarily the invention; it's the mental exercise (click here to visit my inventing blog).
Anyway, that's me. There's more to me than this, but I think you get the point. To see more of me, feel free to pop over to YouTube and check out my videos. Or keep reading my blog. Either way works.
