My First Time.

Hello everyone.

I've been reading the blogs of a number of friends over the past few years, and finally felt it was time to give it a shot myself.   This first one will be just a short intro about myself and my family.

I am happily married and the father of 3 beautiful girls.  The youngest is only 7 weeks old as of the time of this writing.  I have made the joke to numerous friends and family members that with 4 women in the house, this will be the last time I will see indoor plumbing for the next 18+ years.

My life the last 2 years has been full of personal tragedy for my family.  My father went home to the Lord after a short (8 week) battle with cancer in March of 2010.  He was a rock for our family and his passing still affects us deeply.  A week after his funeral, I was pulled into the office at my employer and told that despite an impeccable work record, a desire to always learn, and always doing more than what was asked of me, bureaucrats had decided that a person who lost his job in recent budget cuts needed to be looked after more than me, so they gave my job to him.  I had spent 5 years on contract at that job, and can never go back, as they essentially made the job permanent for someone else.  I was able to find other work, but again, contract work that was only temporary.  I have been out of work since June of this year.  During this time of upheaval, in January of 2011, we lost the other most important man in my family's life, as my wife's father also went home to be with the Lord.  The birth of our new baby girl has been the only true blessing I have seen in the past 2 years.

I should mention at this time that I am a Christian, and proud of it.  I would rather believe in something beyond this life than the nothingness that others seem to be okay with.

What do I do for a living?  I'm a wildlife biologist, or at least, I try to be.  I spent almost 11 years in university, obtaining a Bachelors Degree in Science (biology major), Bachelor of Science in Forestry, and a Master of Forestry.  My Dad used to refer me to friends as the "educated bum of the family".  After bouncing around in different jobs, I've spent the past 6+ years focusing on species at risk.  Technical report writing mostly, but I've had the opportunity to be out in the field as well, which has been great.  Being a biologist has been the most rewarding, fun, and at the same time, most frustrating experience of my life.  Not an easy career when raising a family.  It is even more frustrating when you see the slackers you knew from university and students you taught in grad classes getting permanent jobs at that places you want to work, while you are stuck at home spinning your wheels.  I must be doing something wrong, but I haven't figured it out yet.

Anyone want to hire a wildlife biologist?  My rates are fair.