Timeline

1964:

  • Born. Never asked.

1967:

  • Trip to Expo ’67 in Montreal.

1970:

  • Entered first grade.

1971:

  • Transferred to the scary Christian school.

1974:

  • The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family cancelled.
  • Trip to Expo ’74 in Spokane, followed by my first trip to Seattle.

1976:

  • The Bicentennial
  • Transferred back to public school for my second year in junior high.

1977:

  • Mark born.

1978:

  • Started smoking. Sort of.

1979:

  • Began keeping journal.
  • Started smoking. For real.
  • Entered high school.

1980:

  • Discovered booze and pot.
  • Got driver’s license.
  • Started work at McDonald’s.
  • Stopped smoking pot.
  • First real sex with a guy at an adult bookstore.

1981:

  • Gave up McDonald’s for The Limited, then Chick-fil-A.

1982:

  • Began keeping detailed journal.
  • Graduated from high school.
  • Burst out of the closet with a vengeance.
  • Began working at UNCG’s student radio station.
  • Began college.
  • Entered Student Government.
  • First college road trip to Atlanta to see Talking Heads.

1983:

  • Became Music Director at radio station.

1984:

  • Lots of bad luck with boys.
  • Became General Manager of radio station.
  • Dropped out of school.

1985:

  • Began work at Texas Jeans.

1986:

  • Transferred to Myrtle Beach to manage Surfers Exchange.
  • Rented my first apartment.
  • Transferred to Charlotte.

1988:

  • Moved to second apartment in Charlotte.

1989:

  • Quit Surfers Exchange.
  • Moved back in with my parents in Greensboro to finish school.
  • Began work at Kinko’s.

1991:

  • Presented paper at Southeast Division, Association of American Geographers.
  • Finished my undergraduate degree.

1992:

  • Outstanding student paper award from NC Sociological Association.
  • Transferred to San Francisco.
  • Made first cross-country drive while moving to California.

1994:

  • Became Assistant Manager of Kinko’s in downtown San Francisco.

1996:

  • Debut of Planet SOMA, the precursor to this site.
  • Quit Kinko’s.

1997:

  • Went back to work for Kinko’s part time as an Office Manager/Trainer.
  • Essay published in Preparation X.
  • Planet SOMA US Tour 1997: my first online cross-country road trip.
  • Began doing freelance web design.

1998:

  • SF Bay Guardian Best Website award.
  • Planet SOMA US Tour 1998.

1999:

  • Began living alone for the first time in eight years when my roommate moved out to buy a house.
  • Debut of Groceteria.com.

2000:

  • Debut of Otherstream.com.

2001:

  • Began seriously considering a return to the east coast.
  • Hospitalized for a thyroid-related heart condition.
  • Met Mark and began long-distance courtship.
  • Photo published in British retailing textbook.

2002:

  • Mark moved in with me.
  • Moved back to full-time status at Kinko’s for health insurance.

2004:

  • Married Mark at City Hall in San Francisco in what would later be viewed as a mass civil disobedience.
  • Profiled in Sacramento Bee.
  • Profiled in Greensboro News and Record.

2005:

  • Quit Kinko’s.
  • Moved to Charlotte NC.
  • Article and photos published in Construction Data News.

2006:

  • Lymphoma diagnosis and treatment.
  • Bought a house and moved to Winston-Salem NC.
  • Profiled in Charlotte Observer.
  • Profiled in Supermarket News.

2007:

  • Profiled in Winston-Salem Journal.
  • Returned to school to earn my Master of Library and Information Studies degree.

2009:

  • Graduated with MLIS from UNCG.
  • Began first full-time library job.
  • Purchased house in Pittsburgh.

2010:

  • Landed tenure-track position.
  • Mark moved back to NC full-time (briefly).

2011:

  • Ended relationship with Mark.
  • Sold house in Pittsburgh.
  • Very influential Canadian road trip.
  • Mom moved to nursing home.

2012:

  • LA/San Diego trip.
  • Returned to Montréal for the first time since 1967.
  • Awarded a major project grant.

2013:

  • Dad died.
  • Moved back into childhood home in Greensboro.
  • Reappointed at work.
  • Depression and therapy.

2014:

  • Trips: Richmond, New York, DC, Toronto/Montréal.

2015:

  • Trips: LA/San Francisco, Toronto.
  • Another big grant.

2016:

  • Trips: Toronto/Ottawa.
  • Made tenure.
  • Actively began work on Groceteria.com again.

2017:

  • Trips: New York, Albuquerque, Toronto, Providence, Buffalo/Rochester/Albany.
  • Interviews: Yes Weekly, O.Henry Magazine.
  • Several grants.

2018:

  • Mom died.
  • Trips: Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Canadian Maritimes, Columbus, Toronto/London.