Industrial Welder, Writer, Thinker, Ex-Frontman: Leaving the stage, living on the road, melting steel for food, and feeding my soul with words

This is going to be a bit scattered because I am—admittedly—a bit scattered…

I’ve got an intensely curious and active mind that has led me down many very different paths in a short amount of time. But, for every dramatic change I’ve undergone, and for each different “thing” that I’ve tried to be, one thread remains constant: I am a writer and a thinker.

Academia was never an environment that I thrived in, but I did—eventually—earn a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Wyoming.

As I was trying to complete my education, my motivation to write led me into the music industry where—honestly—I got some good work done. I was a frontman and singer/songwriter for longer than I've ever been anything; but the toll that direction took on my soul and quality-of-life was enough to make me walk away from the music biz completely.

But, I did have some wonderful opportunities and experiences while pursuing stardom. The last show that my band and I played together was in support of Booker T. Jones at the Gothic Theater in Denver, CO; I couldn’t have asked for a better night to end it on.

Now I live the life of nomadic proletariat (I’m even intrigued by Communist idealism—despite it being totally impractical to implement). I get contracted all over the United States to weld at plants, refineries, mills, powerhouses, and other industrial facilities.

Interestingly enough, becoming an industrial welder has put me on the road more than I ever was back when I was trying to “make it” as a singer/songwriter.

I work as an ‘independent’ of course (referred to within the industry as a “Road Whore”); my sense of freedom is to vital to maintaining a survivable quality of life—I can’t bear the idea of having a company logo stitched to my chest.

While it does keep my stomach full, welding does not provide me an adequate outlet for my thoughts, nor the opportunity to grow as a writer. That’s where STEEM enters. I need a place to let my writing live, a place where I can be surrounded by others with like minds who are pushing themselves and their work.

I cannot define exactly what type of work I hope to contribute to this community; I’m sure it will be varied. However, when I am moved to write, my thoughts typically manifest themselves into a philosophical format; culture, art, society, and the philosophy of life—as it relates to human experience—are all topics that I gravitate towards.

Creative fiction is also something that I’ve recently been taking a crack at, which is a new, exciting, and foreign medium to me.

I’m looking forward to learning more about STEEM, seeing what you all create, and personally contributing to the greater STEEM catalog of work.

More to come!