I dissent grew out of a need to unload the baggage or discontent with the political processes that have made American’s lives harder. I was raised in a hard core Republican family. Most of them voted for Reagan, Bush, Bush, McCain, and even the orange clown. I discovered when I went to college that the world view I was raised in was distorted and frankly backward. After decades of reprocessing and studying political policy and its effect on education I became a democratic socialist. I grow frustrated and depressed by the ignorance and hypocritical viewpoints of conservatives… I also walked away from religion permanently. I became attracted to the practice of humanism. This practice was introduced to me as I read the complete works of Kurt Vonnegut.

I live in Iowa, but I am originally from NW Illinois. I teach music in an Iowa elementary school. I was a band director , professional conductor, and a freelance performer in all kinds of groups specializing in tuba, euphonium, and bass trombone for thirty years. I’m simply a jack of all trades expert in none sort of musician. If you need an awesome, top of the line performer… I’m not your guy. I know about 30-40 that are awesome though. I’m retired from the performance stuff as tinnitus screams in my ears 24/7 now. General music teaching to elementary children is a lot of fun and it is a low stress (kind of) way to bridge the years till my retirement.

I’m married, a father, and a grandfather. I’m a dog dad to three mastiffs: Mack the Bull/English Mastiff, Ziva the English Mastiff, and Bubbles the Neapolitan Mastiff. I geocache, futz around in my garage making stuff with wood or refinishing furniture, and then I write this blog. Education: Bachelor’s in Music Ed from Illinois Wesleyan University, Master’s in Music Ed from Western Illinois University, and some work toward a PhD degree at the University of Iowa. My research area was political policy in education. Specifically the neoliberal economic model’s effect on education. I am more qualified to be the Secretary of Education than Linda McMahon or Betsy Devos. Yet, I am smart enough to know that I would be in over my head. BTW, I read my news. I never watch it, unless I have to.

So… there you have it… the two cents about me… and what I like to write about… Finally, as a tribute to Kurt Vonnegut:

…so it goes…