Comments:
Wow! This is tough! Who likes to describe themselves in these things?
1979* Entered UW-Platteville
1980* Entered WCTI
1982* Entered UW-Stevens Point
1984 Married first of two times. Divorced 1993
1997 Entered FVTC (Fox Valley Technical College)
1998 Married second of two times. Divorced in 2001
1999 Graduated FVTC w/MIS Associate Degree
(Management Information
Systems/Database)
2001 Worked with ManPower and Aerotek Data
Services until 2003
2001 I discovered why a few of the screws
upstairs had come loose and rattled
around in my brain.
2007 Started refining my photography skills, which
were already good, but not good enough
for business (in my opinion)
2009 Began building a portfolio of Wisconsin's
scenic beauty which will later be placed
on the Internet for sale.
*Nobody knew it in high school, least of all me, that I have an anxiety/depression difficulty. Some call it a disability, but I hate that word. This is what caused me my difficulties with school in my junior & senior year of high school, and in my first attempts at college.
A therapist helped me my MIS degree at FVTC, but didn't have me diagnosed correctly. That occurred in 2001 when a psychiatrist discovered why "my screws were loose". Now things are better, yet not perfect. Hence my departure from computer science and long time of re-discovering myself. I feel terrible for not looking into this sooner. Because of my delays I lost 40 good years. Oh well... God's taken care of me and the future is just beginning!
Enough of that.
I LOVE to cook! Next to CSI (all versions), and NCIS, my favorite shows are on the Food Network.
I never traveled much until my second marriage. I found out that I was missing out on a lot of what Wisconsin has to offer in its natural beauty and the State and National Park Systems. That was what inspired me to focus my photography (pun intended) on the natural treasures of Wisconsin. I'm also building up a collection of Wisconsin lighthouses and historic buildings.
I also love the "digital darkroom" work on photos. Some people call it "PhotoShopping". It all adds to what make a good photo, a great photo.
Most of what I read is in photography magazines and books, and self-improvement books. Currently I'm working on an understanding of outdoor (portable) studio lighting and using reflectors. I love outdoor portraits, but hate the harsh shadows.
I have a townhouse, which is one-half of a duplex. Simple, but adequate for me. I drive a 2007 Kia Rondo (cross-over). Not exactly what I want, but what I can afford. I'll bet we all understand that!
My hair started thinning when I went on the anti-depressants and now there is a "landing strip" on the top of my head. The hair is also turning gray. It's only embarrassing when I'm with my father and older brother. They both still have thick hair and little if any gray.
I go on occasional bike rides on a 1985 Schwinn! I've kept it in very good shape - probably better shape than myself. Yet I've managed to keep myself under 190#. That's up from the 160# I weighed during high school.
I feel good about myself, and my life most of the time. I always remain hopeful. The only times I start to feel the burdens of being alone are when I think about not ever having children of my own. It's not for lack of trying. I always tell people that it's God's form of built-in birth control. As I tell it, things happened this way:
When I was born God took one look at me, pointed his finger at me and screamed, "THAT ONE! That one will never reproduce! He alone will be too much trouble for the women of Earth!" Then with a clap of thunder all was finished.
Okay... so there wasn't anything that dramatic, but it makes a good story and gives people something to chuckle about.
I usually feel like a 25 y/o trapped in 48 y/o body. I see so many trails I want to explore. I get started thinking, "This won't be bad." A couple miles into the trail, WITH my camera gear, and my body is reminding me that I'm not 25 anymore - no matter what my brain thinks.
That's all I can think of to put in here for now.
Doug Knoerr
aka: TeddyBareWI
2009.09.03
