This year has been one heck of a wild ride and it’s not qite over yet. This post is mostly a “yes, I am still alive” post. I want to do a year in review post a little later in the month. It is certainly due. If you are actually reading my blog, thank you, and I should have something more substantive to post before the New Year.

update 22-28 December 2023

A big part of this year was shedding volunteer responsibilities to focus on finishing school. I am a dedicated life-long learner but I needed some sheepskin to progress in the academy and career. This month I completed my first M.A. in History (American History) and next month I start my second M.A. in Public History (museums, monumments, buildings, sites, etc.). Due to stratieginc course selections I will be able to complete the second degree in December of 2024.

With all of the academics, radio has had to take a back seat. I haven’t done anything radio related since August 2023 and I am not likely to get back to it until January 2025. I will try and post a bit befor then, incase I don’t get back here for a while, this is the reason. I do plan on getting back to the hobby after school.

73,
~Jon KK6GXG

You may have noticed that most of the update dates at the bottom of pages is August 10th, 2023. This is because I am cleaning house befor taking a radio hiatus.

There are many reasons, but they are personal and some have taken an urgency that requires my full attention. The time I am taking to write this post is a rarity right now. I have been shedding volunteer commitments for a while now to try and recapture some of the time I need for school.

Those efforts have been mostly successful, however I now have other constraints on my time that require a full shedding of volunteer work. This is a short post but I thought it nessesary. More to come next year.

Starting with the whole COVID-19 thing, then the west coast on fire, and being swamped with school, it seems like I haven’t posted much, seriously, it’s like 2021 didn’t happen. I’m okay with that for the most part.

So, The family escaped at least through April 2022 with non of us getting COVID. This is good. Family back east did catch it, but all is well, or at least that is what they tell us.

I finished my Bachelor of Religion in the fall and started my Masters in the spring. I am now in the last few weeks of the fall term. I have three more terms to complete my Master of History, so next spring I should be wrapping the M.A. up. I am considering going to commencement, but I doubt I will.

Will I move on to a terminal degree? Dunno. I am planning on a second M.A. in Public History, museum and archive studies. I am also considering additional degrees; M.A. Military History, M.S. Political Science, and M.S. National Security. After I make those decisions I will revisit the Ph.D. History.

As my choices in degrees may indicate, I am interested in Conflict History and Statecraft. The time period is a bit more nebulous, 19th -21st century. When it comes to Conflict History studies often span centuries.

I just wanted to touch base, hopefully I will resume here before I finish a Ph.D.

73,
~Jon KK6GXG