WELCOME to my office and den. This is where I spend most of my time. Since school is about to start in a couple of weeks, I need to get back in the habit of studying and reading instead of making silly web pages like these. In this room, you will find information about me concerning my life at school and work. Once school starts, you will find a daily updated schedule and diary of my adventures on campus at USM, and they won't all be about what happened in class I am sure. As soon as my finalized class schedule arrives this week, you will be the first to know. I am always looking for a good tutor. 

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I graduated from Woodham High School in Pensacola, Florida in 1991. I was one of those weirdos who actually liked school. As you can imagine, I was involved in every imaginable activity involving music, whether it be band or chorus, school related or county and state wide. I was pretty successful in high school both academically and musically. I graduated with a 3.1 GPA and was voted to several awards and honors within my own school and Escambia county. My senior year, my peers chose me as Most Talented among over 1200 people that attended Woodham High. That same year, I was chosen as first chair tuba player in the Florida All-State Orchestra in Tampa, FL. I would go on to accept a music scholarship at the University of Southern Mississippi in the fall of 1991.



I went off to college in August of 1991. I was more successful at USM than I ever imagined especially in music. As you will learn in the music room, my accomplishments so early on in college made me an overachiever. For three years, I relied on my musical talents to get me through the rest of college life, but in the spring of '94 I succumbed to the pressure of coming out of the closet and telling everyone I was gay. I ended up dropping out of college after my junior year.


I ended up moving to Orlando, FL which is where I have been for the last two years. I worked at a local hotel as the bar manager. I am happy to say, I have gotten my head together along with a few dollars to get back into school. I reapplied for admission to USM earlier this year and they said to come on back! I will be going back to school after a three year hiatus. I am pretty nervous, but anxious as well. If anyone out there has dropped out of school recently, the only way to get ahead in this world is with an education. I am very excited and below you will find my class schedule as well as a diary and memoir section that will be updated almost on a daily basis. I hope you come back to help me study in my office!

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This next section will be where my memoirs, thoughts, and experiences on going back to college will be. This page is not how it will be set up in the end but I wanted to go ahead and get this up and running before school starts the 25th of August. This part will be updated daily so please check back often to see what happened. See you then!

August 4, 1997 - (4:30 p.m.) I am as nervous as I have ever been since I started being nervous. After being so successful all my life, I have found myself the last three years struggling just to survive. I guess it is the structured environment that I miss the most. You know, in the real world, making friends isn't as easy as it is in school, either. I am so excited about returning and proving to myself that I can overcome these obstacles in my life. All my original friends have already come and gone and are now working in their respective fields while I have been working at a hotel trying to make ends meet. I hope to expand my horizons and focus alot more on my academics than I did the last time. Of course my music is what has enabled me to get this far, but without the brains to use it, I am useless. I would appreciate all the positive feedback and response I can get from you. Encouragement goes a long way.

August 12, 1997 - (1:15 p.m) Well, less than a week to go before I travel back to Mississippi for the start of school. Actually, classes don't start until the 25th of August, but I will arrive a week early to get settled in and take care of a few details while I have some free time. I am not as nervous this week, but I am sure when I get there the butterflies will start flying around in my stomach. I have been busy packing and preparing things to take with me. I have to realize that the dorm space is limited, and at this rate, it looks as if I am moving into a 3 bedroon town home! I will post another entry later this week before I get out of here.

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI is located in Hattiesburg, MS, about 70 miles south of the capital of Jackson. Hattiesburg is known as the "Hub City" because of its close proximity to several large cities. One hour to the north is Jackson, one hour to the south is New Orleans, LA; one hour to the southeast is Biloxi/Gulfport, MS; and one hour to the east is Mobile, AL. If you like the small town atmosphere, but need to be near a big city, Hattiesburg is the perfect choice. The nickname for USM is the Golden Eagles. Its enrollment is around 14,000 people on all campuses. If you know anything about football, Green Bays' superbowl MVP quarterback, Brett Favre went to school here. Jimmy Buffet, as well as Chevy Chase had short stints at USM. It is a small campus, but an excellent school to go to for the liberal arts. Their applied sciences departments are great as well, but being so close to LSU, FSU, and Auburn, the programs seem to lose some luster.