I’ve looked at the stuff others have written and it seems I’m supposed to talk about myself. There’s really not much to say. I’m just a guy. I’m in my 30s, single, and have some baggage – but who doesn’t by that age, right? At least that’s what people tell me.
To me, it’s not baggage, just life. I’m a teacher and the poet-in-residence at JHU. Which, now that I look at the full sentence sounds extremely boring. I guess you could say it is. My daily routine includes teaching, reading, writing, or, like many authors just staring at the computer screen wondering how I thought what I just wrote was any good.
What else? Like I said, I’m just me. There’s no big life-altering secret, just everyday life. I’m single, but I’m also a parent two to very independent children. I can’t even really call them ‘children.’ They’re technically my niece and nephew, and they came into my care after a horrible accident that took both of their parents.
Our relationship goes beyond technicalities. I’ve been there for them since the day they were each born, and often stepped in when their parents had out-of-town business that couldn’t include the kids. I was the Cool Uncle who came to everything but could still leave the tough stuff to their parents. They’d stay with me, or I’d go stay at their house depending on the time of year. Summers and school breaks they’d stay with me, during the school year I’d go to them. It kept them in a good routine.
I’ll tell you something though, there’s no parenting handbook and there’s definitely no ‘instant parent’ handbook.
Scott is in his 20s and knee deep in his studies at JHU. No, not in my department. Scott is very athletic and has been his whole life. He has aspirations of being an athletic trainer and running his own business one day.
Melody, my niece, is going into tenth grade at the local high school. Even though she’s still a minor, I’ve recognized that she and Scott have become so incredibly bonded that, when I asked if Scott would have her around if I needed to disappear for a while, he was more than glad to take on the responsibility.
Obviously at these ages I don’t have to hover over them every second anymore, or so I’m told. I’ve also been told I have veto power over such things, but I’m not sure how.
So, that’s the big bombshell when it comes to me. Just a guy who loves the kids who became his.