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Sunday, April 13, 2008

New beginnings...

For many years now, I've been bouncing around now, working, writing and playing in my shop out back. At my age, this looked like my life. Not a bad one, sure. But, for someone with my "unusual" personality, that kind of life is certain death.

So, I decided that I needed to make a change. I have an Associates Degree but never went to college long enough to get the Bachelor's. In fact, I enjoyed college so much that I went way beyond the normal 64 credit hours to get that Associates. Every subject was cool to me. Physics? Cool... how does this work? Why does it take so much work to push a desk across the floor? And why does it take so much less to make one splash off a pier? And why does George Washington wear wooden teeth? And, what do you mean they weren't made of wood? Stuff like that. I could do that all day, every day...

What profession allows you to do that? Duh... being a teacher.

I love to talk. Ask my wife. I also like to be a "know-it-all". You need her phone number? Actually, knowledge is fun for me. You play video games... well, I learn. It's just an aspect of my psychosis that's been with me all my life. That... and "Jeopardy!"

I'm not dull! Really... I'm a lot of fun. At least, I think so. And my wife will say that, too. It's not just my opinion. By now, I should think you can trust her opinion! So, I asked her if I would make a good teacher. She said, "Did you say something, Professor?" I love that girl.

Now, I'm seeking my Bachelor's Degree. Then, a Master's. Maybe a Doctorate or two. As long as it's fun. And, it promises to be. For almost thirty years, I have done genealogy. What history is more interesting than your own? Genealogy has unwittingly led me to the coast of North Carolina (my home state) and to the very beginnings of the state, in fact the beginnings of America. Going to college at East Carolina University in Greenville threw me into the local "looney bin" along with some other folks doing research on the fate of the Lost Colony. The Lost Colony, you may ask? Yep. The Lost Colony of Roanoke in 1587. This is a Mecca for us history nerds. Not only that... there's also pirates! Arrggghh! Now, you thought I was boring. Shows you! Take that, ya' lubber!

You can read up on the research currently being done at www.lost-colony.com

The idea is that the Roanoke Colony was never completely lost, but that they simply blended back into our society through their native descendants who married into the early settlers to this region. Early pioneers were mostly unmarried men (7 out of 8, in fact). They married native women... natives who just happened to be blond with blue eyes (on occasion). Wouldn't that be like the first to land on the buxomly California shores? With margaritas? Don't tell my wife when you talk to her.

Well, I got hooked. Now, I want to make it official. And, I want a margarita, too! So, there will probably be many more books to come with even wilder ideas than time travel involved (did I mention that I was a sci-fi Nerd too). My first book was based in lovely St. Augustine, Florida but now I have California-like natives, scantily clad and begging for attention in North Carolina. I'm sure there's a story in there somewhere... again... quit telling my wife!!!