September 4, 2011

• Sunday Shoutout : RighteousBruin

  This week we have the pleasure to get to know @RighteousBruin better.

  
  At Amicaloa Falls State park, in north Georgia

  Gary is kind, compassionate and brilliant.
  He has met a few Xangans lately  and has been traveling, I felt like we were following him,
  we met @WildWomanoftheWest and @TexasTidbits  just days after he did.

  
  With his cousin

  1. Can you give a brief outline of your life, family?
  
  I am the eldest of five children. My mother is still living in the same house in which we grew up.
  My father passed on 25 years ago. My sister and her family all live in central Massachusetts.
  My next eldest brother and his wife live in the Atlanta area. My second brother
  and his wife live in Saugus, my home town. My youngest brother passed on in 1994.
  I grew up an autistic child, before autism was known as such. I had passing interest in the people
  and things around me, though, thankfully, this has subsided with time. I have always had a self-depreciating sense of humour, which made my life a bit easier. It took a while though,
  to recognize when others, especially women, were "only teasing",
  and not just putting me down. My self-esteem has come a long way in 35 years,
  thanks largely to my late wife, who was with me for 30 of those years.
  We had one child, our son Aram, who is 23 and now in the US Navy.Essentially,
  I have a Master's Degree in Education/Counseling and have spent 32 years as an educator.

  2. What are your main interests, hobbies or collections?
  
  I am interested in nature,in cultures and in history. Thus, I have a love of travel.
  I enjoy reading, both fiction and nonfiction, and I enjoy writing-hence, my blog.

  3. Do you have a favorite memory from childhood?
  
  My favourite memory from childhood is of my hikes with my father
  in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

  4. What brought you to Xanga?
  
   I first came to Xanga by surfing the Web for blogging sites.
  Blogspot did not captivate me all that much, so I looked further and came here.

  5. How did you pick your Xanga name and how do you like to be addressed on here?
  
  My Cyberbear reference came from my being descended from the Penobscot Nation
  of northern Maine, whose members regarded the bear as an auspicious animal.
  RighteousBruin reflects my commitment to social justice and bruin as another word for bear.
  Then, too, I am a great fan of the Boston Bruins. I like being called Gary, in private messages.
  Some younger people call me "Bear", and that's fine, too.

  6. You have traveled a lot recently,how many states were you in and
  what Xangans did you meet?
  
   I have been in 25 states and the District of Columbia on this trip.
  I have met Texas Tidbits, Ofunlo, WildWomanoftheWest,  ZSAMD
  The Rocking of Socks and I Have a Whistle.
  Several other meet-ups just didn't pan out,  for various reasons.

  7. What are your plans for the future ?
  
  My plan for the immediate future, once this trip is concluded in mid-September,
  is to find a steady stream of income, to volunteer with Childhelp USA
  and Stand for Children and to travel as my schedule permits.

  8.What challenges have you faced recently?
  
  My biggest challenge was the death of my wife, nearly six months ago.
  Moving out of our house in Phoenix was somewhat of a physical and financial challenge,
  but it was achieved with my son's help. The biggest challenge remaining
  is getting my life back on track. It is happening steadily
  with help from family and a few dear friends, including some here on Xanga.
  the desire to still learn and grow.

  9. What is something you have learned about yourself these last few months?

  I have learned I am resilient. I have learned that, while I will love my wife for eternity,
  I have the capacity to love again, and it will not take anything away from what I feel for Penny.
  I have learned that I have

  10. What is something/someplace you have always wanted to do/see?
  
   Something I've always wanted to do is to go on a long-distance hike-
  as in the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest, North Country, etc.
  I would also like to see several places- Brazil, the Andes, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, southern and eastern Africa and Europe as a whole.
  Actually, I would not exclude any part of the world.

  • 9:36 pm
  • 30 Comments