An idea taken From a person  whose songs constantly remind me that life truly is "just a tire swing".   here is the autobiography of my life in 600 words or less.  Thanks Jimmy buffett!
 
    In Mercy Hospital, Denver Colorado, on the eleventh month, seventeenth day, at 11:11 a.m., weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces, my life and my nick name began.  A strict Christian upbringing enforced by my mom and dad, along with two older brothers, two younger sisters, an adopted younger brother, and countless foster children molded my life into that of a teacher.  Raised in Applewood (a suburb of Golden) as the only black family in the neighborhood; we fought racism, prejudice, and ignorance with our fists and our wits to finally earn respect from those around us.  At 17 years of age I graduated from Wheat Ridge High in 1977 at 7:00, thus keeping my nick name alive.  I worked for a year, moved to Greeley, lost a bet, applied to UNC, was accepted into college and panicked because I had no money.  I went to school full time, worked full time, applied for the student exchange program and became a Beaver.
    At Oregon State life was different.  It rained; I went to school.  It rained; I went fishing. It rained; I went to the mountains. It rained; I went to the beach.  It rained...  I loved it!  The fishing was great and reality was relaxed.  Unfortunately something called graduation and life got in the way of Oregon and bliss. With a B.S. in elementary education, a minor in speech communications, a minor in anthropology, and a noggin full of ideas, I set out into the real world.
    In 1983 I went back to the district that had fostered the fire in my belly for learning and my great disdain for a certain high school counselor (I was told by my advisor that I should become a car mechanic because I would never make it to college). Jefferson County was my teaching home for ten years.  Elementary school was my assignment, 6th grade was my passion, and a solitary life was my preference.  After eight years of teaching, the middle school concept progressively crept into my psyche, dominated my conscious and subconscious thoughts, and gathered like a knot at the base of my brain. It was time again to venture down the path to higher understanding.
    From 1990 to the year  2000 I began and finished a masters degree, met and married my best friend, bought my fourth house, moved to my second school district (Boulder Valley Public Schools), taught at my fifth school (Angevine Middle), met the best and the worst my profession had to offer, had a serious automobile accident,  had my seventh through eleventh major surgery (thus keeping my nick name alive), and started my second adolescence with two Corvettes (thanks to the knuckle head who rear ended me).  My best buddy, Ethan Benjamin, joined our household and accompanied us on our second adventure up the Alcan Highway to the place where my heart now resides, Alaska.
    Now at the ripe old age of 47, body beat and battered, profession targeted and stomped on, students better than ever, and my next greatest joy, Hannah Mariah, here and healthy, I am reminded of a thought…a thought that materialized at the end of our 37 day odyssey to Alaska: sometimes you have to reach the journeys end before you can truly see the road on which you've been traveling
My journey has just begun.  SO…WHAT’S NEXT??????