Introducing Myself

Hi I'm Steve McLaughlin and this is my debut to the blogging world. At 32 years old I'm a college freshman and a very proud father of a 21 month old little girl. I'm also a husband of almost 3 years and as my wife likes to say she needed a rock in her life and she found that in me but the the truth is she undoubtedly fills that billet in our family. The last seven years fighting fires and the previous seven serving as a United States Marine infantryman at home and abroad often in hostile environments. Without a doubt my most changellenging, difficult and humbling assignment of all has been being a good father and husband. The gentleness that I feel today toward my wife and daughter was something that I never I needed leading a platoon of young Marine Badasses in combat, So I thought. Another truth is those Marines were riveted with quiet emotion. From just trying to stay alive, to not letting the guy to their left and right down, to missing their family, and in some cases their own wife and children, I learned the balance a good leader must strike between mission accomplishment and troop welfare. Important lessons I carry with me today as I lead my new warriors in life.

Between March and November I saltwater fish with all my free time. Early in the season for cod and haddock and later for striped bass commercially and shark for sport. I'm fortunate enough to have turned something I love, into making just enough money to justify getting up at 2am and heading to the dock for an often 18hr day on the water hunting giant Bluefin Tuna. The experience of having the fastest fish in the ocean, weighing upwards of 1000lbs, tethered to you by a thin piece of monofilament is epic and the pinnacle of the angling experience. The three man crew locking horns in a battle between man and beast in a give and take, often over several hours, is a test of endurance, patience and skill by those on each end of that thin line.

In conclusion to my opening blog, I look forward to experiencing new things and learning more about myself and my capabilities as I embark on this new endeavor that is the challenge of obtaining a college education. From my class syllabus, I understand that I will be required to post to this blog at least on a every other week basis and for anyone who follows these post I warrant that they will be true and raw and hopefully somewhat entertaining. Good luck to all my classmates this semester and I look forward to learning more about you, as well, through your own blogs and posts.