The First Post

How to begin? I was born in the mountains of East Tennessee and here I live still. I was raised to know mountain ways and gifted with the ability to use my hands to create. I think it was the way the world around me changed that allowed me to grow up fat and lazy. I have always felt lost here and would be more at home 100 years ago when the world and town I live in was smaller and filled with less. The quality in our world was either lost or pushed to the side to make way for the plastic, mass produced junk that we spend so much of our time and money on today. I would rather live in a small town where everyone really does know everyone else but those don't exist here anymore. I have thought about moving but I have family here to help support me and my wife when necessary. Besides, most of the areas where I could live the way that I want to are in the great Northwest of our country or in the far Northeastern Coast. I don't know if my wife could live there or if we could survive the loss of our friend's regular company. I am trained as a school teacher, but have had trouble getting a job as such because I don't value athletics as much as I do education. Most days I find myself wishing that I could make my living as a craftsman or in researching the past. My wife and I both enjoy the hobby of living history and all of the skills that come with them so I have some release at least for my need to create quality items. Well, that's enough for now but I will be back with more of the ramblings and ravings just hopefully not those of a lunatic.