About me
My background is simple. As the third of four children, I grew up in a crowded house, often with cousins and/or a grandmother living with us. My parents remain happily married after over fifty years.
Technically, I am an adult. I am the husband of a beautiful and patient wife and the father of a remarkable young man, as well as the co-caretaker of eight cats (yes, I said eight), two schools of fish, and a rabbit or three.
I'm not quite right in the head. I proudly hold vast sums of useless information. I think that the word pants is the funniest word in the English language. I can do the wave with my eyebrows.
I am a native Texan. From the stark wonder of the West Texas desert to the moss-draped cypresses of Cado Lake, I think Texas comprises some of the most beautiful places on Earth. There is nowhere else I'd rather live.
My professions have been numerous. I have worked as a teacher, tech support rep, theatrical scenic and lighting designer, stagehand, executive recruiter, salesman, facilities manager, grocery store clerk, multimedia/website developer, courier/delivery driver, landscaper, handyman, and semi-professional musician (emphasis on semi)—and that's just since reaching adulthood.
My interests are many. Air-cooled Volkswagens, aquaponics, art, coffee (seriously, this is a hobby for me, not just a drink), computer programing, electronics, etymology, gaming, gardening (but only if it's weird), linguistics, literature, martial arts, music, onomastics, philosophy, puppetry, science fiction/fantasy, theology, and yoga, to name but a few. Ask me next week and the list might have changed.
I love spicy food. I mean sweat-dripping-from-my-scalp spicy. Indian and Nepali are two of my favorite cuisines. I also love Italian, Chinese, and Thai. As a native Texan, I am required by law to love Mexican food.
I am a Christian. I believe the Holy Bible is the authoratative, divinely-inspired, inerrant word of God.
My last name is pronounced just like the profession 'shepherd'. In the IPA, that's: /ˈʃɛpərd/. Somewhere out there some poor sap is named 'Shprd' because I have all his vowels.