eric g hoff
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave this world a little better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded."
I am so glad that you happened to stop by. Whether by design, or by
accident, your presence here is an opportunity for us to meet and share
our lives. It is my hope that if you find any of the contents within to
be interesting, intriguing, or even infuriating, you would decide to
make the time to say hello by email so
that I can visit you.
[email protected]
What you will find in this web presence is a collection of
'snapshots' where you can peer into my life and see what has shaped me
into the person that I am and who I hope to become. It is a given that
we humans are dynamic creatures and therefore our lives are always
under construction. Who we are today, is not who we will be
tomorrow. Therefore, where appropriate and possible, I have
included dates and commentary to give the reader insight into the
materials and events.
What you won't find here is a mask. I have seldom been a conformist
and rarley a 'company dog' (if that is the right term to apply).
Instead, I have been true to my self, even when it meant that I
suffered greatly for being outside the norm. My utmost desire has been
to never settle for mediocrity and always set my aim higher than my
reach.
The challenge had been to learn to accept the fact that my standards were
almost always set unrealistically high. It took me decades to figure out
how to communicate that truth to my inner self so that I could press on without condemning my self or others for not being able to meet my standards. The result of that learning has been the refreshing ability to forgive my self and to appreciate others.
That being said, there are some items in this site that can be
construed as shocking, vulgar, profane, and offensive if the reader is
of a persuasion that does not allow freedom of expression and
exploration on a personal level. I make no apologies to anyone for what
might be found inside. In short, there few things that I find
offensive, in fact, the word 'offensive' is not an active part of my
vocabulary. Proceed at your own risk.
We are all human. No one person is better than any other. Whatever your
religion is, honor it, but don't force your rigid beliefs onto me -
more than likely I've already experimented with, explored through, or
experienced your religion. I find none to be adequate for my tastes. My beliefs are simple:
"Within the
confines of one's mind lay the keys to eternity."
-- Eric G. Hoff