....And we're off...here we come around the bend...it looks like something I have never seen before...It's the all inclusive, first-class, all expenses paid trip to the wonderful world of Jim O'Leary...You will not only view destinations that you've never knew existed but you also get to keep going and going and going until you have explored every facet of my life...in all its vibrant colors and the truth to almost every secret nuance I have ever encountered...That's a pretty tall order coming from such a little guy...but I aim to keep you entranced with the magical journey my life has bestowed upon me...
...First off...a little inside info on what makes me tick...Essentially, I am a very religious person on the inside...I'm not an outward holy roller but I seem to save up all my praying time for when things get tough...I don't feel like bothering God when everything is A-O.K....I hold off until I am facing some type of extreme measure and I'm a little shaken on how to get thru that moment....
...Next...I've never had any formal training on writing...at any point in my high school or college careers...I've always just had an in-nate ability to tumble forth words from my mind onto paper at usually very extraordinary speeds...I honestly don't know where it comes from, whether I inherited from some distant relative or it is just God's way to keep me out of trouble and provide me with hours and hours of fascinating enjoyment...Of course, I'll take it in stride on anyone else's interpretation because it is a rather unusual talent that really didn't emerge until well beyond my comprehension...
...As so much of my life unfolds...you will tend to realize I was always content to remain in the shadows...I was very rarely outspoken...Maybe it was my upbringing, being the youngest of 8 kids...There was always something happening in front of me at an early age...And even though it was a raccaus atmosphere to grow up...I used to spend endless amount of hours playing by myself surrounded by about 20 stuffed animals which I dragged with me wherever I went...
...It does sound rather odd but my Mom and 5 sisters were always giving me stuffed animals and I just kept dreaming up strange identities for each and every one of them...I especially liked to make forts by draping blankets over my brothers bunk beds upstairs or by building a collosol extended fort village in the basement by taking all of the cushions off the chairs and couches and creating a hidden world that could have been a rocket ship or war bunker or just about anything my imagination could come up with that day...
...I was somewhat of a sickly child in my youngest years...but I really had an abundance of happiness in my life and that always kept me moving right along...I guess I owe that to all of my family members...for such a fortunate amount of joy and wonderment...that each one of them brought into my life...My Dad...the gruff, tuff, no nonsense while I'm around, kind of guy, always showed a gentler side of himself towards me...He was a veteran of the Chicago Police Dept. and it was not unusual to see him always wearing his gun as he walked thru the door after a hard day at work...only to make his way upstairs to place the gun up high on the highest part of the dresser...Then he would make his way downstairs to the living room where he would sit down on his favorite chair and read that day's Chicago Tribune newspaper...I would always bug him to let me read the sports section and I'd sit there on the floor next to him...almost copying his exact movements of flipping pages on our newspapers...My Dad had pulled out his big thick reading glasses out of the special case he kept tucked away in his breast pocket...
...Eventually...he would nod off and begin to snore even...He really had a loud snore and really everything about him was bigger than life to me...His hands seemed enormous...His fingers were thick and stubby and his voice was a very strong, forceful blast...My Dad seemed to contain his emotions inside mostly, unless one of his kids got a little too wild...Then, his blustery toughness was plainly exerted to get a quick resolution to any kind of matter that would arise...
...As my Dad would continue to take a quick nap...you could begin to smell what my Mother was cooking up for dinner nearby, out in the kitchen...She would whip up dinner for 10 on any given night...and each night...was always a little different...My Mom could make some of the best meatloaf anybody has ever tasted...I still...to this day have not tasted any Meatloaf dinner as good...Her secret...Her red gravy...which was a collection of meat juices and spices mixed thoroughly into a tomato soup base that we all just smothered over our mashed potatoes and meatloaf...It was far and away our favorite with a roast beef rump roast a close second...
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