On the evening of March 16, 2011 we welcomed a new addition to the old school house at the Wilmington Birth Center, Joseph Patrick. We simply call him Joe.
He has really changed my life. When I received a PhD in Geology from Oregon State in 2004 and came to work at the University of Delaware for a visiting position, I never thought that my extended higher education in science would provide less job security than the technical positions I was able to get with just my Coast Guard training. But now I've found that taking care of lil'Joe puts the nonsense of academia in perspective and is infinitely more rewarding than being the cog in some university CEO's machine.
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| Newborn Joe, just arrived at his home, March 17, 2011. |
Of course when he came home I was just a bystander, so dependent was he as a newborn on Sara Beth. I had only vaguely thought about being a dad before, so watching him 4 days a week was something I hadn't ever contemplated. Yet it's the things you don't expect to do that can be the most important of your life.
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| Evening of March 15, 2012 in his exersaucer. |
One reason for starting this blog was to document what I think are the converging challenges of this decade. It's going to evolve into something more personal, with more everyday observations on the little things. But it now also has a mission: to advocate in some small way for a better future for Joe and all the next generation and to call out all those whose ignorance, fear and cruelty are making it worse.
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