About Me (updated 03/21/08)

Some people like the Internet because of the anonymity it provides. Others seem to throw caution to the wind and reveal every possible fact about themselves. I fall somewhere in the middle.

My name is Brian and I currently live near Chicago, Illinois. I studied Education and Geography in my undergraduate days, and have a Master’s in Intercultural Studies and TESOL. My work experiences have led me down a variety of rabbit trails including summer camp counseling, uniformed security, human resources, pastoral care, substitute teaching in high schools, teaching ESL, and a variety of odd jobs here and there.

I love to travel, but haven’t traveled nearly as much as I would like. I have a soft spot for a lot of places in the United States, but most of them are off-the-beaten path kind of places that don’t make it on the map. My favorite places internationally include Montreal, Venice, Rome, and the Middle East. My interest in the Middle East stems from the two summers I lived in Gaza City in the late 90s. It was that time that spurred me on to 10 years of studying Islam and the Middle East, befriending Muslims here in the States, and exploring a little more of the Middle East when I’ve had opportunity.

I write this blog as an outlet for my personal reflections on Islam, the Middle East, and Palestine. I write from my own particular Christian perspective and welcome discussion from any and all other perspectives.

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Here’s the “about me” description I’ve had on the blog from the beginning when I was just starting to write and being more anonymous. I’m not sure it fits with the current tone of the blog, but I rather like it, so I’m keeping it here.

i am an amateur. amateur husband and father, son and brother. amateur camper, cyclist, and writer. amateur cook, gardener, and beer enthusiast. sometimes theologian, amateur preacher, and fellow pilgrim. an aggressive pacificist, or is that passive-aggressivist? all i’m really good at is being the person God created me to be. and then that’s only part of the time. but in the end, i hope that helps rather than hinders you from being the person God created you to be.

(yeah - i didn’t use capitals - that was intentional)