A quick note about my works, which I've never attempted to get published (yet): I love vivid, descriptive imagery in and of itself, for its own sake, but my work almost always has some kind of metaphorical underpinning. I'm particularly interested in the struggle between good and evil: their duality; their role in life in general; within individual people; within the world; their supernatural transcendence, perhaps; humanity's connection with these forces and their role in our lives; etc, etc. Sometimes, I like the reader to draw multiple conclusions on purpose; other times I will have a definite message. Below is my life-story. Thanks for reading! ~Jake~
I've always been exceptionally smart, but I've never been too wise. That sounds kind of cocky, but it's true, dammit! I have a long and, I think, interesting story, but I don't have time to really delve into it right now. I'll update this later, but here's a brief idea of where I'm at in life. My dad started a Southern Baptist Church in Eureka, CA, called Centerpointe Community Church. He got really sick and had to resign (chronic migraines, brain seizures, panic attacks, etc.). My dad being sick, my mom worked 24/7 to support us and my older sister was forced to take care of me. I looked up to her, but she was only about 14 or 15 at the time and was going through a phase when most of her male friends were gangsters and drug dealers. With my dad being a vegetable, these guys were like father figures to me. I was 10-12 yrs old when it was really bad, and I think I was forming my world-view and core values at that time, so, although my sister snapped out of her phase, I emulated the gangster lifestyle. I started smoking weed and drinking at ~11 yrs of age, and I started doing meth within a year after that. My friends were all from Sureno families, a Mexican gang, and although I stole some cars, sold some drugs, and jumped some people, etc., I felt kind of outside the really hardcore gangster lifestyle at that time. Then my family moved up to Everett, WA, when I was 15. I got involved with some crazy people and was jumped into 7-4 Hoover Crips. I lived with some KNP's (a Filipino blue-rag gang . . . these guys are from the Philippines, started the gang in L.A., then some moved up to Everett and got it going there . . . the American version is CBG, or City Blocc Gangsta Crip). Life was crazy for a couple years, and I was totally retarded. Rivals were mostly the OLB's (Oriental Locc Bloods) from Parkside, on Casino Road. Things got a bit TOO crazy, and I started to realize how it was affecting me as a person. Long story short, I was saved, and I became a Christian for real (I thought I was Christian before, but I can mark the EXACT MOMENT that I was saved, which was at this time, although I know it's not like that for everybody). My entire world-view and values did a 180 *snap* like that, and I turned my life around. My grades sucked because I hardly went to class and I never did homework, but I always aced any test they gave me, so I wasn't really failing any classes, either. I tested off the charts, so they waived the grade requirements and let me into the Running Start Program, which meant that the school payed my tuition and I went to a community college instead of the high school. I went to Edmunds Community College in Lynnwood, WA, and graduated from Mariner High School in 2003 with 45 college credits. I then went to Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, majoring in Chemical Engineering. Long story short, I came back to Washington before finishing college, did some meth, smoked some weed, started selling it all again, and then got into the whole gang-thing again. Last time, God gave me a miracle, and I INSTANTLY quit tobacco, meth, weed, alcohol, PCP, DXM, coke, MDMA, and all the other crap I was doing all day, every day . . . with NO withdrawal symptoms. This time, it was like God said, "Okay, now you get to see what it's REALLY like; how hard it REALLY is to quit drugs and get out of the gangster mentality." I'm a LOT different now, but I was arrested on 7-10-05 for 6 counts of Armed Robbery (1st Degree, with Weapon Enhancements), 3 counts of Residential Burglary (2nd Degree), a Possession of a Controlled Substance (1st Degree, with Intent to Sell), and Possession of Stolen Property (1st Degree). That's what was filed against me, but I got a Plea for just 3 counts of Rob2, with NO Weapon Enhancements, and one ResBurg2. I was looking at over 40 yrs, but got only 3 yrs, with 1/3 eligible for "Good Time." In prison, I spent 15 straight months in IMU (Intensive Management Unit), AKA "The Hole," or Solitary Confinement. That gave me PLENTY of time to think. Trust me, I'm a LOT different now! I was released from prison on 7-23-07. Now I have 4 felony points, one Strike, and am on Parole for the next 3 yrs. I'm living with my parents right now in Gig Harbor, WA, while I try to get back on my feet financially. I currently work at The Harbor Kitchen as a cook/waiter/host/everything-else (it's a small place: pretty much just me and the owner). I drive a 2001 Saturn SC-1. I would like to eventually finish college, but I now want to major in Wildlife Biology or Zoology and perhaps do research for a conservation organization, or something like that. I love animals; everything about them absolutely fascinates me. I would also like to find the right girl and get married at some point in the not-too-distant future, but right now, I'm just trying to get my own life on track. Thanks for taking the time to read my not-so-brief story! ~Jake~
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