I have always wanted to write in some sort of professional capacity. But that desire has always butted heads with my desire to write code for a professional living as well. I have been in Information Technology in one job function or another since 1986, when I joined the United States Air Force, after two years of failed collegiate classes. I would return to those collegiate classes in 1995 and 1996, and then again in 2000 until 2007. I would achieve a Bachelor’s degree and two Masters degrees in the last eight years of college. During those collegiate years, I would continue working in Information Technology positions. It wasn’t until three years ago that I started writing code for a living, as my job with the college transformed into what it is today. But what about my writing career, whatever happened there?

About eight or nine years ago, I created this blog – not to write professionally, but to write. Six years ago, I entered a poem and a short-story into a writing contest here at the college. Every year I have entered, I have placed no lower than Third in the category I entered. But I have never submitted anything for publication in a journal or in a publication. So my writing career has always taken some form of a back seat to other endeavors.

This year; however, I decided to change all of that in my life. I have committed to provide an 800-word essay to Moon Books for one publication. Another publication is also asking for submissions on working with one’s Gods, and I have started writing my submission for that endeavor as well. I have had the idea in my mind for a book detailing some of my experiences on my Pagan Path – the fight to get “Pagan” included on dog-tags in the US military that Circle Sanctuary spearheaded; the struggle with the US Military Chapel Services to allow worship space in Chapel facilities for Pagans; and some of the face-to-face tussles I encountered in everyday life – thanks to the publication of those struggles in the October 31, 1993 Stars and Stripes publication; along with many other encounters, both positive and negative that I have had on this Path. Hopefully, I can find some publisher that would be interested in what I am writing. If not, there’s always independent publishing.

The point is that my life is evolving and changing, again. In more ways than I can count. After my diabetic seizure from less than a week, I can see the avenues where doors have been held open for so long. The doors aren’t closing, but I certainly need to either walk through those doors or silently shut them myself. Well, I don’t want to shut them. I feel that I have something to say. I feel that there’s a conversation I need to interject myself into. Whoever happens to listen, fine. Whoever doesn’t, that’s fine too. But I have to speak my mind. I truly cannot sit silently on the sidelines any longer. Even though that has been the position I have held for so much of my Pagan life.

So, this is the doorway I am walking through. Whether I am ready or not. I will be speaking as a Druid, as a Pagan, as a Polytheist, and as myself. For if I tried to take on any other perspective, well, to quote the band Icon For Hire, “I dare not preach what I don’t understand.” Now that my feet are set to their Path…its time to type the talk. So to speak….