-
Period: to
0-5cont.
Sensorimotor - Piaget
I explored the world through sound, whether taking a plastic hammer to a coffee table or dumping cereal on the floor. I learned to ride a scooter only by watching my sister at age 2, showing my problem solving skills. Preoperational - Piaget
I did a lot of pretend play, whether with my friends at home, or during school, I was imagining lots of stories and games. -
Birth
I was born via emergency C-section at St. Joseph's hospital in Joliet at aprox. 5:30pm.
I have one half sister, and I was born into a white Midwestern middle class house.
I have two parents who have stayed married with a steady income, allowing me to have good opportunities that others may not receive. -
Period: to
0-5
Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt, & Initiative vs. Guilt - Erikson
I receives support, developed independence, and explored a lot.
Preconventional morality - Kohlberg
As a kid, I definitely grew up following the rules for sake of not getting in trouble, not having a sense of right or wrong. Preschool-Kindergarten -
Extra Year of Pre-School
Due to my birthday, which is very close to the cut-out, my parents chose for me to take an extra year of preschool to essentially "hold me back." This wasn't due to my results in school, but moreso so I could be the oldest in all of my classes instead of the youngest. This gave me a better chance throughout life with sports and education, since I was just slightly more mature mentally or physically than others. I was unaware of this decision until later in life, but I am grateful for it. -
Kindergarten Graduation
This was probably the first time I've gotten incredibly sick. Just two days before my "graduation," I fell ill for roughly a week and missed my classes' "graduation." This was somewhat upsetting to me, as I was looking forward to being with my friends, but on the other hand, I may have learned a bit more about kindness in seeing my teachers and classmates give me nice messages and hearing they prayed for me via Facebook.
(picture goes with "birth" slide) -
"1st Day"
I'll always remember waking up this day and going through my routine; however, this felt like the first day of my life. I can describe the feeling as, if we live in a simulation, this was the day it started.
This specific day is my earliest conscious memory, whereas other memories are more of a feeling, and I believe this is what made me a curious and existential person. I've always thought very deeply about existence because even that day, I was aware of the "weirdness" of that situation. -
Attendening School 30min Away
In attending a school far away, I didn't have a local community type feeling, and I was forced to have friendships from far away that required a good amount of planning in order to see them. This, however, has led me to be comfortable with not seeing or talking to my friends for long periods of time, but still holding tight relationships with them. (the picture is the actual school). -
Period: to
6-10
Industry vs. Inferiority - Erikson
I developed a sense of worth and performance when I joined band in 5th grade.
Still level 1 of Kohlberg Concrete Operations - Piaget
Having gone to a Montessori school, I practiced activities heavy in the operational field daily, leading me to develop strong early math and cognitive skills.
1st grade- 5th grade -
Switching Schools
For kindergarten through 3rd grade, I attended Joliet Montessori school. For fourth grade, however, I changed to the Channahon Public School District. I did not move, but I changed socially in regards to my friends, and in regards to how school and education was run. -
Joining Band
In 5th grade, I became a percussionist due to my slight musical experience from my Montessori school. Even since then, band has been my life, and will continue to be my life (specifically drumline). Band has taught me a large amount of my core values when it comes to work ethic and working with others. -
Period: to
10-20cont.
Identity vs Role Confusion - Erikson
I reached a point where I began to recognize my academic skills in comparison to others, my work ethic in comparison to others, and my lack of social skills. -
Period: to
10-20
6th grade - 14th grade
Conventional morality - Kohlberg
For the first half of these years, I was following the rules moreso because it was right to do so and it made others happy, not just to avoid upsetting them.
Postconventional morality - Kohlberg
For the second half of these years, I entered this stage of questioning the morals and laws of society.
Formal Operations - Piaget
I participated in a club which allowed me to create a hat with a solar panel to charge one's device. This was abstract -
Director Change in Band
For my freshman and sophomore year, I had the same two directors for band and percussion. My junior year, however, we got a new percussion and band director. My senior year, we got another new percussion director.
With director changes came culture changes and culture shock. My freshman and sophomore year, I prepared to be a leader in a comfortable and strong culture. Having three director changes provided many challenges which having experienced them, developed my identity greatly. -
Covid-19 Lockdown
This doesn't require much explaining, but everything was cancelled due to the virus. Drum Corps, WGI world finals, seinor recognitions, the band trip to Toronto, and many more. Staying at home away from the stress of figuring out my future gave me a lot of time to think about myself and make decisions on my identity. Despite losing so many amazing events in the music world, this did not stifle my passion, drive, or music's role in my life and identity. -
Audition for a Drum Corps
This event is much larger than a single event. Over the course of my time drumming in high school, I learned a lot about work ethic from my drumming partner. When it came time to audition for a drum corps (essentially professional marching band), I had to work harder than I had for anything ever before. This work ethic got me contracted for a corps, and has led to immense growth and respect within the corp immediately. I can now apply this work ethic to anything I do in life. -
Period: to
20-30
Intimacy vs Isolation - Erikson
At this point in live, I have dated several girls and finally found the right one towards the end of college or a few years into working. I decided to live with another. -
Marched Broken City Percussion 2023 in California
At the start of the 2023-2024 school year (my junior year of college), I decided to take an internship in California instead of attend for the second semester. This was to march with Broken City Percussion, one of the best indoor groups in the world. This has since become my favorite experience of my entire life (up till marriage). -
Graduating U of I
I finished U of I with a degree as an engineer after 5 years of attending school. During this time, I met a girl who I would later settle down with. This of course set the rest of my life into motion--having to find a job, place to live, and how long till I settle down. -
Marriage
I was age 26 when I married a very special girl. This is obviously the resolution to Erikson's conflict, as I decided to live with another. We got married in a unique location, and decided to move around for several years before starting a family. -
Climbing Accident
At the age of 29, while rock climbing with my wife, I had a fall. Luckily, we had taken every precaution possible–so ropes were properly tied, helmet worn, and a route planned for safety. When I feel, I received some scrapes, cracked my helmet, and received a nasty bruise on the shoulder, but thankfully I had no major injuries. I was back to climbing and enjoying nature within a few weeks. -
Period: to
30-40
Still Intimacy vs. Isolation -
Firstborn Daughter
My wife and I had our first child, a girl whom we named Catalina. She was born December 13th, and it was the event that made us decide to pick a place to finally settle down from our adventurous life-style. -
Settling Down
My wife and I finally decided to settle in the beautiful state of Oregon, which is a hidden gem. It's a beautiful state with some desert, some mountains, the coast, and some beautiful forests all pretty close to one another. We bought a middle-sized house 45min away from my work at the time. We close to the southern border, only about 15min away from California. -
Period: to
40-50
Generativity vs stagnation - Erikson
Around this time, I began to wonder if I made a mistake doing engineering instead of teaching. The time away from my kids was an issue, but I managed to work it out by the end, ending up to spend more time with my own kids and prioritize life over work just a bit. -
Received Promotion
After several years with the same company, I received a nice promotion that allowed me to go onto found Destiny Indoor Percussion. This also increased the struggle of family vs work, however this promotion was not a large time commitment change, so it did not affect that issue greatly. -
Founded Destiny Indoor Percussion
After several years of teaching drums at local high schools and percussion groups, I decided to fulfill my dream and found a group. It was close enough to California, which allowed for many strong members to come across the border into Oregon and make the group strong. This was a struggle with balancing work and spending time with my family. -
Received Major Promotion Offer at Work
Having been with the same company for roughly 15 years, I was offered another promotion which would've greatly increased my pay, but also greatly increased my time commitment to work. Thinking about my family and my love for music, I declined the offer. I was making more than enough to sustain my family and help my kids with college, so I didn't have to worry about sacrificing much from the potential increase in salary. -
Period: to
50-60
Still stage 7 of Erikson -
Firstborn Leaves for College
My firstborn daughter departed for a far college–which makes sense considering her adventurous father and mother. Thanks to good financial decisions from my wife and I, we could greatly help her seek her dreams in music, and her degree, while still offering good opportunities to our younger son, Leo. -
Destiny Indoor Percussion Has It's First "Success"
Destiny Indoor Percussion, the group I founded, was comprised of mostly highschoolers or young college students. After several years of steady growth, they medaled in the A-Class competition of World Championships in Dayton, Ohio. The success, combined with seeing the combined joy in my students and my friends who helped run this program helped me to feel I had made the right choices in life, finally. -
Second Born Leaves for College
Leo, my wife and I's second and final child left for college. He stayed a bit closer than his sister, but was equally as ambitious in his career choice and passion. This left both my wife and I alone at home for a single year before our daughter finished college, in which her future was not dead set if she'd come on first or not. -
Period: to
60-70
Integrity vs Despair - Erikson
In these years, I finally began to find answers to my questions about life I've had ever since I was a teen. I turned largely to art and literature to find and understand wisdom. Amidst many doubts, I returned more to my roots. -
Both Children Married
Both in the same year, each of my children married their special someone. While one in the spring and the other the fall, both of these were very close in time. Both of my children had been, like my wife and I, living life, traveling, and working before settling down. Seeing as both had married good people and were happy with a sustainable job, my wife and I felt great pride in ourselves for our kids. We were also thankful to have been blessed with good children. -
Retirement
At the ripe young age of 66, I finally retired from my work. My wife several years after. I continued to direct Destiny Indoor Percussion for several years, but soon retired from there as well. At the end of all this, my wife and I decided it was time to return to our roots and start traveling and experiencing nature again. We were a bit old, but we could still enjoy it. -
Published First Novel
Writing had been something I'd enjoyed since the day I was born. (This is factual): Even before I could talk, I would write "stories" on paper with squiggles and "talk" the best I could with inflection to try and tell stories. As a now retired man with a lot of experience in the world of art, I decided to finally write so many o the stories I'd had in my head. Working with my close friend whom I marched with in High School, I published my first novel, which received a small amount of success. -
Went Climbing for the First Time in Years
In a hopes of a) finding something to do besides art and b) find some lesson or epiphany about life, I decided to go rock climbing with my wife (yes, people actually rock climb when they are old). At the top of a small cliff, enjoying the air with my wife, I found a sense of peace and appreciation for nature. I no longer wondered if traveling so much early on was a mistake. I knew it wasn't. -
Retired from Destiny Indoor Percussion
After many years with D.I.P, I decided to finally retire. I was fortunate enough to have many years with the group, and to have watched it grow from a small A-class group into a small world class-group. I was blessed to turn over the title of director to a former student, and have many of the leading positions also filled by former students. It was hard to leave behind my essential third child, but I trust those taking over and new a younger approach would be better for my students now. -
Period: to
70-80
Still Integrity vs. Despair -
Moved to Wisconsin
In an effort to experience more of the woods, lakes, and snow, my wife and I decided to move to Wisconsin, where we could be even more with nature near a nice lake, and closer to Dayton, Ohio where World Championships were still held every year for indoor percussion. This move allowed us to pursue our thoughts even more, as nature was peaceful and allowed us to do moreso as we pleased. -
Grandkids!
My first daughter, Catalina, had her first children, twins! Two baby boys! This obviously excited my wife and I, as we were excited for visits and baby-sitting. Catalina lived in northern Oregon, but she was an adventurous girl and told us she'd make sure she'd visit often. It was relieving on our end to have our daughter show she is still having a healthy successful marriage and is now raising her own family. -
Period: to
80-90
Still stage 8, except integrity and peace is fully found. -
Trip To Alaska
One of my lifelong dreams was to see some of the Alaskan Glaciers. There weren't many left by this point, but my wife and I decided to travel to finally see the gorgeous state of Alaska, the beautiful glaciers, and of course, and Aurora Borealis. This again helped with any doubts of not realizing my dreams. Along with the Trip to Alaska, my wife and I traveled to some other places like the Machu Pichu for herself. -
Trip To Dayton, Ohio
At the age of 82, I decided to attend my final world championships for Indoor Percussion, still held at Dayton, Ohio almost 100 years later. It was incredible to see my old group perform, and my old students leading, teaching, and having success. It was my final freedom from any doubt of having lived a full life. I pursued four incredible passions, including music to a high level, and I had no regrets. -
