Welcome, and thanks for taking the time to read this. I thought that instead of a traditional “Hi, my name is…” type of post, I’d start by introducing myself to anyone who happens upon my little slice of the Internet.
My name is Mike Thetford, and I’ve had a blog off and on since sometime in 2015. Nobody reads it, but I enjoy keeping an online presence, no matter how obscure. It’s cheaper than therapy.
I decided to use a Q&A format to introduce myself. So here it goes.
For starters, who the heck are you?
I’m just a Middle Aged Nobody high school history teacher from Texas. Married. Two kids (both teens). Two degrees (BA in Economics, MA in History) and a teaching certificate.
How often do you plan on writing?
I have no idea. I’ve tried putting myself on a writing schedule, but it never works. Ideally, I’d like to post a couple of times per month. Maybe more. Maybe less. I just really don’t like forcing it when I don’t have anything to say.
Wait…a teacher? How’d that happen?
Well, that’s a long story that I may make into a post some other time. For now, I’ve been at this for more than two decades, and it has been a wild ride, to say the least.
What types of things do you write about?
There’s a quote from Thoreau that I’ve had on my blog for a while.
“I should not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.”
That about sums it up. I typically write about my own take on the world and reflections from nearly half a century of life. I’ll branch out on other things as I feel the need or desire.
Any annoying habits?
Loads of them, but I don’t want to give too much away. A couple of things that readers will notice: I use parentheses quite a bit (but not too much), and I like ellipses…
Are you one of those “crazy Texans?”
I guess that depends on what you mean by “crazy”. I’ll just say that I’m atypical from what many people outside of Texas think of when they think of Texans. And yes, I’ve lived here my whole life.
What’s your biggest regret?
No regrets. Life’s too short. I don’t necessarily believe in destiny or fate, but I don’t see the point in looking at my past and wishing I’d done something different. I’d rather enjoy what I have.
What’s your biggest stress right now?
I’m a public high school teacher in the United States. Take your pick.
If your life had a theme song, what would it be?
The Cowboy in Me by Tim McGraw
Hobbies?
I’m an introvert in every way. I like to read and write. I watch too much college football in the fall. I like to listen to music, but that has gotten difficult the past few years. (I’ll explain that in a different post.) I enjoy just being outside when the weather is nice. Basically, anything that will let me recharge after being around people all day.
What would you say if someone asked you for a random piece of advice?
My dad used to tell me not to worry about the things I can’t control. It took me a while to grasp what the truly meant. Once I did, life has been so much better.
What was your favorite toy as a kid?
What do you mean “as a kid?” I currently have nine completed Lego sets in my home office, three more completed sets in my classroom, and a large box with a few more sets that I’ve built and taken apart. That’s just my Legos. I never outgrew toys. They just got more expensive.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Conceited people. Confidence doesn’t bother me. Conceit does. There’s a fine line, and it seems like too many people don’t understand that the line shouldn’t be crossed.
Or as a co-worker once told me, we all have to eat, sleep, and shit.
What’s the strangest complement you’ve ever received?
A girl in college once told me that I have nice hands. She’s the first and so far last person who has ever told me that. We dated for a little while, so I guess it worked.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
Peanut butter. Absolutely, undeniably, without a doubt, peanut butter. Peter Pan. Crunchy. With a spoon.
Reflections Of A Middle Aged Nobody 