Places I am From

I've always been glad I was never born and raised in just one area. My childhood and teen years were spent moving every few years, which was always hard to do, but I fully believe it has made me a well-rounded person. I was born in Columbus, Ohio and lived there until I was in the 4th grade, when my Father announced to the family that we would be moving to Austin, TX to continue his career in sports broadcasting. Throughout my whole life up until that point, I had assumed I would be living in Ohio forever; much like any other little kid who's main concerns are how many rounds of baseball they can get in or how many miles they can ride on their bike before dusk. It was a shock, and I was afraid to leave a place of comfort for a place of uncertainty. Alas, I entered the second half of fourth grade some 1,000+ miles away from where I started it.

Along with an absolute shock of trying to fit in to a whole new life, there was a nature shock as well. In Ohio, we lived among lush trees and the overall sense of "green" was present. In Texas... it was barren: dry, brown lawns, neighborhoods without a tree to be seen, and a heat unlike any other I had experienced before. It was quite an adjustment to make, but like everything in life I had to accept it and move on, both figurative and literally.

By the second half of sixth grade, it was time to pack up and move again. This time to Memphis, TN, where my Dad was moving up the chain of broadcasting to better and more financially stable opportunities, although this move was the worst of my life. I only lived in Memphis for 9 months, not nearly enough time to create friendships or fit in anywhere. It was a rough patch in my life, especially it being key formative years, but thankfully it was a short nine months and from then we moved to Grand Haven. We have been in Grand Haven since 2007, and it was an absolutely great place to finish growing up at. I still live in Grand Haven, and I love it. Our house is only 15 minutes from beach, and we live in somewhat of a forest filled neighborhood (as I type this I'm watching a squirrel attempt to steal some food out of one of the bird feeders). After I graduate, I have no clue where I will be heading. Basically, I have a mantra; "Follow the money", so wherever my degree in Management Information Systems is useful, I will head in that direction. Only time will tell where I will be going next, but with a lifetime of moves behind me I'm ready for anything.