Who Am I? Where Do I Come From? Where Am I Going?

Who am I?  I am a Byzantine Catholic, and I live within the Eparchy (Diocese) of Parma. I have a love of the truth, a love of beauty, and a love of  all that is good. These give me a philosophical passion in life, where I want to understand the world I find myself to be living in. Although I desire a scholarly life, I also desire a life that will enable me to go out and explore the world I live in, and experience the glory it contains. I want to share my life with others, and especially to share the knowledge that I have gained from my personal study and contemplation. I want my life and research to be dedicated to helping others. 

When it comes to the eating of meat, I have determined to follow St. Francis of Assisi. He would only eat meat when it was being offered to him by someone else. When he was by himself, he would avoid eating meat out of his personal love and respect for animal life. This gives me a spiritual discipline that is not legalistic, for it does not prevent the eating of meat. However, I find it helps me to experience the sanctity of all life. 

Where do I come from? I was born on August 6, 1974 in Augusta Georgia.  When I was a little more than three years old, my family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. After I graduated high school in 1992,  I went to Indiana University in Bloomington Indiana. I was raised Southern Baptist, but in 1995 I became Byzantine Catholic.

Where am I going? The future is currently unknown, but the hope is to get a Ph.D. studying Theology. I am currently working on a Master's degree in Theology at Xavier University. Where this will lead me, I do not know fully know -- but I know the path is there for me to find.

Where have I been? I have been able to travel to a few places in the world, and I desire to see more of it. As  I explore the world, I want to seek out its cultures, their history, and their major landmarks. I have already visited Amsterdam, Egypt, and Italy. I want to visit Greece, Great Britain, India, Tibet, and Turkey. 

What are my interests? I have interest in exploring the great wealth that is within the world through the great variety of its cultures.  One of my favorite things to listen to is world music -- with Scandinavian music as my favorite (my two favorite groups are Varttina and Garmarna). I also enjoy other styles of music, from classical music to 80's rock.  Some classical composers I like to listen to include: Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Henry VIII (yes, he wrote music), Beethoven, and Mozart. I enjoy watching science fiction television and films. My favorite television shows are: Doctor Who, Red Dwarf, The Prisoner, and Babylon 5. I am also a fan of the writings of J. R. R. Tolkien, Fyodor Dosteovsky, and I really enjoy Frank Herbert's Dune Series.  I enjoy great art, and my favorite styles include: Byzantine Iconography, Tibetan Thangkas. Some of my favorite artists are: Leonardo da Vinci, Salvador Dali, and M. C. Escher.   

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