10 Things About Me

@Mozdrums

Honestly I don't like doing this sort of thing. But, once you get me started about something I might go on and on. Plus, I'll probably talk about details and avoid the topic at hand.....but anyway.

1.) I was born July 4th 1994 in Pottsville Pa.....good place to start I suppose. I had a brother Kyle, whom was born two years prior. My mom says I was a "perfect baby". She said she often forgot I was there, or got very worried because I was so quiet. Even when I cried, I didn't make a sound apparently. I was also born with asthma, which caused a lot of setbacks, especially during my little league years.

2.) I spent the next 18 years of my life in Shenandoah, a coal mining town(really a borough) not far from Pottsville. It was once known as "Little New York"(circa 1920s) due to it's population density. This is where my ancestors from Poland, Austria, Germany, and Ireland settled. The mining industry was booming and there was hope for bright future. This is also the region where the "Molly McGuire" incidents occurred. This whole area is known as "The Coal Region".

3.) I went to catholic school until third grade. This is around the same time my current friends left catholic school. Most went to Shenandoah Valley(The Blue Devils lol). There was always this misconception that the public school kids were these violent barbaric animals that constantly fought for no apparent reason. Well, to our surprise, they were much more docile than we anticipated. In fact, there was probably more fighting at Father Walter J. Ciszek's. If you think physical and verbal assault is no longer used as punishment in school....well then you've never been to either of these schools. Though the memories make for hilarious stories. I lived with my Dad and his wife(at the time) until I was 12. Then I decided I had enough of that and moved to my grandparents.....two and a half blocks away.

4.) Straight A's all the way up until 6th grade. I guess you can say I became a rebel and only absorbed what I thought was "important". Also, homework was never a friend of mine. Believe it or not, most everyone got along in our school.(If you were from a different school, well that's another story. I mean the State Police had to escort the visiting team's football buses to our stadium) In fact the stranger and more "out there" you were (which is the common in that area...a lot of interesting characters) the more people seemed to like you. Or just enjoyed the clown show you put on. That was a high school that the students literally ran.....at least when my class was there. After every Friday night football game(the towns only entertainment, besides gossip....and I'm not much for either) there was a "barrel", or a kegger, or bush party...whatever you wanna call it. Everyone met up at the ACDC (an infamous coal bank) and paid five bucks for as much as you can drink. Obviously this made a lot of funny, but also upsetting memories.

5.) I had a summer job at my high school when I was 15. I'd work 12-13 hours or really as much as I could. Moving furniture, cutting grass, and cleaning for the new addition that was just completed. Made a whopping 5.25 an hour after taxes. Most of the money went to my grandparents. They deserved it and financially we weren't very well off. Well I graduated in 2013 with my class of 86. I was attending the Machine Shop program at Vo Tech since I was a sophomore. I took an interest in it because my grandfather had an old lathe in his garage. I didn't know what it was and I was a very curious kid. Oh, about my grandfather's garage. It was built in the 20's, designed by my great grandfather. The Mozdy's garage once had 40+ workers there. It's a three floor garage with a car elevator and everything(sadly doesn't work anymore). The house that was attached(where we lived) was the oldest in the entire town. It was once used as a resting place for the miners. They'd come in, clean up, eat, and sleep.

6.) The very next day after I graduated, I moved to Oakland California to see my Mom. I wanted to get to know her and she wanted the same(always did). Due to unfortunate circumstances we never really saw one another as I was growing up. This "visit" ended up turning into a full out move to California. Shenandoah is ravaged with crime, poverty, drug use, and violence. My high school years were a lot about proving yourself on the "streets". Or at least intimidating others, so they'd leave you alone(something I didn't really like). That's why I spent most of my time there, in nature. But anyway... It's amazing how long you can be separated from a parent, yet you both share these striking similarities, as I did with my Mom. My mother showed me the side of myself I always had, but never noticed it before. I love both of my parents dearly, as I do my grandparents. Not only did I get to know my mother, but also her husband. Who is an amazing person and has helped me and my mom with so much, I have a lot of respect for him. Me and him have a lot in common also, it's scary sometimes.

7.) I found a Machinist school in southern California, that I ended up attending. I joined the SkillsUSA program and won 1st in regionals and 2nd in the state competition for the manual lathe. Shortly after graduating, I found a job in northern California. A really old school job shop that reminded me of my grandfather's garage. I was intrigued by this place because I'd also learn to weld. After a year, I had a revelation. I realized I love what I do, but not how it's done. I couldn't stand not being respected, even though my ideas were valid and should at least be considered. So, machining was more of a past time and not a career for me. After talking to one of my favorite English teachers via IM, I really came to realize what I want to do. I need more of a one on one connection with the people I'm helping. I always loved writing and literature in general. My old teacher was going through a rough time after a friend of mine and a student of hers had passed away, so I wanted to reassure her she was an inspiring person in my and other's lives. She encouraged me to go back to school(apparently she saw something I didn't). So that's where I'm at right now.

8.)My interests include; Music, Psychology, Theology, Philosophy, and other things I can find connections. But above all, music. I've been playing the drums since I was 7(first song I played was "Fight for Your Right-The Beastie Boys lol). My brother is an amazing musician and person in general. I've looked up to him my entire life. I mean this guy played every Van Halen song on guitar by the time he was 14! We had a little band in Shenandoah(after he came back from Austin Tx. Where he lived with our mom since he was 13-14). By this time he was 17 and I was 15. Our bassists name was Joe who was the same age as my brother. We played some Zeppelin, old Red Hot Chili Peppers, Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Silverchair and others..along with original songs he had written. We played pretty much anywhere, whether they wanted us there or not. Most of the time we played in a room separated from the garage that we called "the dungeon". This is where my grandfather used to sell electronics and big stereo systems....the room was essentially sound proof. Dozens of people would come down to listen to us play and just have a good time because there wasn't much to do there besides get in trouble.

9.) Enough about my history, which is pretty mundane. My favorite bands/artists include: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, old Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Fruciante's solo work, The Beatles, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Nick Drake, Rage Against the Machine, Neil Young, Nirvana, The Ramones, Aesop Rock, Eyedea, Kendrick Lamar(pretty much just MAAD city), Tori Amos, Hozier, Glass Animals, The Animals, Sublime, Slightly Stoopid...well I can go on and on, but that covers the basics.

I also have a strong interest in comedy. Well really just a strange obsession with Norm Macdonald. To me he's the funniest man alive. I love his podcast. I don't have a favorite color. I love them all when they're used in the right way, or at least in a shocking way. I always loved turtles, I had three growing up(well one was mine). I like sloths and turtles, but if reincarnation were real I'd love to come back as a mountain lion. I'm a pretty boring person to be around, but I'm surrounded by a lot of interesting people. That's the best way I can explain my life.

10.) My religious views are my views. It's more of a spiritual theology that I've decided may be what lies beyond. So I guess you can throw me in with the transcendentalists...I know that's what you're thinking. My views differ a bit though. Some of the most impactful moments in my life were the dreams I've had and still have. I had a reoccurring night terror while I was a child. Every time this dream occurred, I'd run through my house(still sleeping) screaming that I was going to die. Which was strange because the dream was a bit different than being chased by a monster. I'd awake to my Dad holding me trying to get me to calm down. But, when I awoke I never believed anyone was who they said they were. This went on for years. That experience combined with other strange experiences that some would call "supernatural" have led me to believe what I do. I know everyone has their ghost stories and we can go on and on about them. They most certainly weren't from a child's colorful imagination. These occurrences didn't stop until I was 16. It wasn't just me either. My friends that were with me (even ones who didn't believe in that sort of thing) saw, felt, and heard these things too. To this day they'll always bring them up. As if it were some profound experience in their life. There's some things in this world we just can't explain.

I'll tag

Blue_Dreamer

TheCauf95

blazenyoshi