To tell briefly of who I am. I am a lifelong Alaskan who loves to explore the many facets of what it means to be alive. I enjoy the little things that remind me I am alive like fresh air, deep conversation and the sound of wind in leaves. I love to learn and am the first from my family to pursue a degree.

My perfect Tumwater day consists of sharing delicious food with family and/or friends, going for a walk on the beach and/or forest to feel connected with nature and/or God (of my understanding), skateboarding and/or bicycling hard enough to raise the heart rate (or snowboarding or skiing in the winter– I need outside exercise like dogs), writing for a couple hours without thought, reading bits of a novel or an assortment of poetry, listening to a few cassette tapes then playing music at night. I wrap up my perfect days with a funny show or animation that I check out from one of three libraries. I enjoy spending time with animals that do not speak english and don’t really do well at parties or chatty environments. I value the preciousness of time and realize that death is near and because of this I do not like to waste time. Some people would say that I am serious, but most people who know me think I am clown. I deal with my past by keeping distance from people and not dwelling on yesterday.

That is what I do. Is that who I am?

I have a 20 acre parcel of land in Happy Valley, Alaska with forty chickens, two dogs and a kitten named Istanbul. They are being taken care of, do not worry. Although the land and animals are on my mind, an unfinished manuscript about my time in Iraq is on my desk. Writing the story saved my life and I hope to finish soon. I basically returned to Evergreen to learn how to write and to learn about my country. I am doing both.

I took the Practice of Sustainable Agriculture course in 2010-2011 then moved home. My brother and I bought property to plant a fruit farm and after a few years of tilling and planting, I returned to college to further my skills as a writer. My brother is older by three years and I put him before anybody and anything. I have two nephews named Liam and Robert Stark, a father I met twice and a mother in heaven. (If that is what you believe.) I am a piece of all of them.

Is that who I am? Is this a legit Hello Kitei? I have no idea…

As we sort through America’s past in this class, I will reveal hard learned truths about the country I love and myself.