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I am currently reading the non-fiction book Seven Skeletons, and loving it. I continue to expand my reading self through new books, and experiences, to expand my world view.

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In 2015, with much encouragement from my wife, I started back to school. I enrolled in the program for elementary education. I have enjoyed my time here, and I continue to enjoy the journey in getting my education. I cannot wait to graduate with the skills to make me an amazing teacher.

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In 2004 I married the greatest person I have ever know. She has changed my world, and I had to learn to read and learn what marriage is.  Working together to achieve the life we want. It has been us for almost 12 years now and though we don't have children, we do love them and have both chosen to be teachers. She has been a teacher for 5 years now.

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American Gods is one of my favorite books, and it is written by a big Author for me. I have read almost all of his works, including music, poetry, and non-fiction works.

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In 2004 I would read the book that changed my life and my world. I was going through rehab and fighting addiction at this point in my life. I felt like the world and God had betrayed me with my childhood and family. My hate turned into self loathing and lead to bad choices for me. While trying to figure out what to do a friend in Seattle would give me this book. I read it and just felt something in me stir. I converted to Buddhism and turned my life around, I became a new person.

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In high school I discovered one of my favorite Authors, Terry Pratchett. I loved his sarcasm at the world and what was wrong in it, but without doing it heavy handed. Much of my personal humor I feel comes from his writings and outlook on life.

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When I hit Jr. High I joined the football team, and learned another way of reading my world. I learned about how to read plays, and then perform them. I learned of new words, and how to read my teammates.

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One of the less than a dozen photographs I have of myself. My world expanded again for me as I began to fall in love with the outdoors. I started reading maps to find trails anywhere I lived at the time. This photo is from Arkansas, but I hiked in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. I took the love with me while I lived in Washington, to this day the hobby continues and I hike with my wife.

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In second grade a big milestone for me. I had already read beyond what the elementary library had. So my teacher walked me down to the high school side and allowed me to choose my own book. I chose this one, and my view on what a book was changed. I still have this book to this day I feel so love with it.

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My world would expand a lot for me in the early 1990s when I joined the Cub Scouts. I learned to read from the book and it taught me teamwork and morals. I still live by many of the early principals I learned in the organization.

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My absolute favorite book when entering school. I had this memorized and at first my teachers thought I was already a reader. I did still learn fast but I needed their guidance as I began my love with learning.

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Both my words and world seem to start here. This is the Osceola Public Library. This is were I learned to read early on in life. My family was poor so we had no books to speak of in the home. Instead I was able to go to the Library and be read to by the amazing women who worked there. They would read to me and I memorized each word that they showed me. I was reading before I started school, but I did not actually know how words went together or how all the letters worked.