After some pressure from a
friend (thanks, Christopher), I've decided to add a little bio of
myself. It's not that interesting so I don't blame you for skipping right on. :)
I was born on the 8th of May,
1968 in
a town called Wallasey in England. Wallasey is in Merseyside
on the other side of the River Mersey to Liverpool. Anybody from
Merseyside is known as a Scouser.
I am the eldest of five and I attended
Riverside Primary school, Withens Lane Middle school, Oldershaw Senior
Comprehensive and then Marconi ITeC and Carlett Park College where I studied
computers. I had always intended to enter the British Royal Navy like my Grandad.
I attended Sea Scouts and then Sea Cadets and thought I was going to be a chef
in the Navy.
After getting interested in
computers my budding career took a completely different turn. Also, mostly
because of my dislike of misplaced Authority, I decided (after my third
time of almost joining) to give up on my ideas of entering the Navy. As it
turns out, my baby brother was the one who ended up following in my Grandad's
footsteps and entering the Navy. Hmm, now I'm blathering on. Well, I'm just
throwing this down for now without much thought so forgive me for wandering.
Where was I? So, I worked in
Liverpool for a while and then went to live in Brighton on the South Coast of
England. I liked Brighton a lot. I was seventeen and starting to make my own way
in the big wide world. I always felt as though I was meant to go further but
didn't quite know what that meant at such a young age. In retrospect I can see
that it meant I needed to broaden my horizons. England is too stuffy and
withdrawn for me; I need a place that grows and ventures forth into the bright
future with a vengeance. After six years in Brighton and being made redundant
(laid off for you Americans) from my final British job of
Communications Officer in the Police Force, I decided to take the plunge and do
the mad, crazy thing that youngsters are supposed to do. I decided to travel all
over the United States with just a suitcase (all right, not quite a backpack
but close).
Actually, it didn't start out
that way; initially I only wanted to see New York. I knew someone there so I
knew it was a possibility. Shortly before leaving, however, I met a bunch of
students from the U.S. who were travelling around Europe. One of them, Chris,
told me that his family owned a large Victorian Bed and Breakfast establishment
in Deer Park, Spokane, Washington. He invited me to stay anytime. This got me to
thinking and I eventually decided to do an entire circuit of the States. I would
start in New York, venture North and then West to Washington, down the West
Coast, along the South and eventually back to New York and then home to England.
I ruled out the plane and felt
that the train would be too restrictive and I remembered all those movies I had
seen where Americans were always jumping on to this wonderful Greyhound Coach
thing. Hmm, let me tell you, I'm glad I did it once because I saw some fabulous
out of the way places and sights on my journeys but I could never do it again,
hehe. :) As it turns out, I've not yet left Los Angeles and doubt I will except
to do the same touring around Mexico. :)
Ok, ok, I told you this was
just a temporary throwing down of thoughts. Since being here in Los Angeles I've
matured, become more centered, relaxed and realized that this is the sort of
place I need to live in. Los Angeles is full of possibility, variety, optimism
and let's face it, the weather is bloody brilliant!
The major changing factor in my
life since being here has been my discovery of and fascination of the Mexican
culture and people. I became a volunteer worker and eventually a Board Member of
the Los Angeles Center for Law & Justice, a non-profit legal services center in
Boyle Heights, CA whose clientele is 90% Latino. I met a lovely family called
the Ortegas. They "adopted" me and even invited me to use their last name
eventually. I've kept Walker but feel a part of the Ortegas too. It has been a
large factor towards my development and restructuring of myself. I switched from
my first name to my middle name and became my own creation, rather than the sum
of my childhood.
I've had many an interesting
experience, including a lovely month's stay in Los Angeles County Jail (just
for being with a group of Mexicans in racist Glendale) and I have some
wonderful friends and homeboys who enrich my life and, all in all, I feel that
moving here was the best thing I've done so far. Many people tell me that it was
brave of me to do that by myself. I think perhaps it was more than a choice, it
may have been destiny if there is such a thing but it was certainly a necessity.
Now I feel centered and settled. I still have many adventures and experiences
ahead of me, not least of which will be the exploration of Mexico itself once
I'm fluent in Spanish (not quite there yet) but I'm very happy with
where I'm at and what I've become. Hmm, I'm beginning to sound bloody old and
wise. Anyway, once I've thought out a decent bio I'll replace all this drivel
with a well prepared and literate piece which will hopefully be a little more
interesting for you.
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