This is Eleven.

stories and snippets from the frontlines of age eleven.

When I was freshly 11, on the day of August 19th, 1987, something terrible happened. No, not my parents’ 14th anniversary, a happening for which I was and am grateful. No, it is this: I went to the home of Craig W———, a fellow two grades and years senior to me. Craig had an Atari 2600 game console, and I played it. This is the terrible thing. It introduced me to gaming, and there was a period of several months when I could think of little else - at least in my memory - and I remember a sense of despondency and lost hope that I would ever attain a system such as an Atari or Commodore 64. We had nothing. And I knew we never would, that all was lost. This is the day I discovered video games, and for a brief period of time it seemed like that was the gateway to my future. I loved it so much and could have spent hours playing, had I had one. Sadly, I did not, and tragically, eventually my interests moved to other things and I was never able to immerse myself fully in a gaming lifestyle, a happening which surely would have led to many wonderful and beautiful things in life. But you move on, or try to. 20250112

Child 1 (girl)

coming soon

Child 2 (boy)

Immersed in art, still. Current: his big influences Ralph Steadman, Quentin Blake, Ronald Searle, and Punch magazine. Pages and pages filled with his renderings of various historic and political figures. Love his style and interest and dedication so much. It can be intense. But I love it. Summer 2021

Very into his animals - goat, cat/kittens, salamanders, frogs, and…duckweed. I have learned a great deal about duckweed recently. Outside all throughout any given day in our pasture, checking on his pond, the creek, and various habitats.

Loves snuggling with his mom. And sometimes me.

I have to choose my battles. And I don’t always choose well. Summer 2021

Reading: E.G. Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado and Oliver Jeffers’ Here We Are (2017). September 2021

Reading: I’m Not Leaving (Carl Wilkens) and Talking to Strangers (Malcolm Gladwell)
Very proud of his 1961 rotary printing press. January 2022

Child 3 (boy)

coming soon

Child 4 (boy)

coming soon