Chicago, Illinois, February 17, 2012, 6:25 a.m., E.S.T.~

Dear All~

Know it has been a terribly long time since I have last put pen to paper, but life has a way of throwing a curveball when one least expects it.  Hope you understand ...

For you who are not familiar with me, I do believe a proper introduction is in order.  For those who know me, you must think I died or dropped off the planet.  Not so.  I am very much alive and am thankful to the Good Lord above for good health (orther than my knees, that is ... baseball injury, suffered in high school).

My name is Mieczystaw Aleksandr Czechstawski (surname Americanized to Czechstaw).  I was born here in America; my parents, meanwhile, were both born in Poland.  I am 19 years old, almost, and was born in Nashville, Tennessee.  Lived there for years until last year, when I struck out on my own and moved back to the city of my birth: Chicago, Illinois.  I am attending college and am working towards a degree in journalism and English theory.

My parents and family back in my home in Tennessee are all well, although Pop is recovering from a heart attack; he had that on Christmas Day and was in the hospital for nearly two weeks.  He is on the mend, but is still rather weak.  It was a very scary time for our family; we were so sure we were going to lose him, but God had other plans: He let my father live, which has been a big answer to our prayers.

My parents are named Jan and Minka.  I love them both with all my heart.

My sister, Annika, is in high school now, where she scores consistently high grades in all of her classes.  She is extremely smart (something I didn't get in the family gene pool! LOL).  My brother, Jan, is 18, just turned, and is getting ready go into the United States Air Force: he signed up last week. 

As for me, I have my schooling to think about.  I enjoy it, especially my Journalism classes: I love writing ... always have, always will, I guess.  One of my goals is to have a book with my name on it.

I write stories, mainly fiction, and mostly young adult/teen and science fiction.  I love the challenge that the written word brings to me.  

I still play music: I play the pedal steel guitar.  I have played this instrument since I was a little boy of six.  I have played at several country msuic and steel guitar conventions here in the Midwest (as well as several festivals back in Nashville, Tennessee, and even played on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, which was a huge honor for a young boy; I was ten then), but college and my writing keep me from playing more music.

 I would still like to make music my other career, but for now, it's on the back burner until I finish my schooling.  Then maybe I will pick it back up.  (I do practice daily, though, so it's not like I'm playing it at all!)

I do keep in contact with some of my friends from school (my baseball buddies, Johnathon and Ronee' Sandusky, Cindi Dawson, Gene Princeton-Peoples, etc.), and hope one day to see some of them, but all are busy with their own lives.  I know Johnny and Cindi are now married, Ronee' is in college (and engaged!), and Gene is in the Marines.  All seem to be doing very well for themselves; I couldn't be happier for them.

Back to the baseball injury.  It was during a crucial tournament; our team was on the cusp of winning when disaster struck.  As I was sliding into home base after a big play, I managed to hyperextended my knee (so my knee was facing backwards instead of the way it's supposed to) and ended up having to have several major surgeries to repair it.  I was in pain/rehab for months and my knee hasn't been the same since.  I walk with a noticable limp and use a cane; I just don't trust my knee like I used to.

Wrecked not only my knee, per se, but the muscles, tissues, and tendons around it.

Well, gang, I hate to leave y'all in a lurch like this, but my nice, soft, warm bed is beckoning me.  I can sleep in today; no school (my only day off).  I can then go do my homework (o, joy! NOT!!), and try to wrestle up something to do, like, maybe hang out with some of my college buds and take in a Chicago Bulls basketball game either tonight or tmoorrow.  My friend bagged us some tickets.  I will write in here again another time; sorry it's been eons since I last wrote (EIGHT YEARS AGO; my God, I was only 11  years old when I last picked up my journal!! Where did all those years GO????).  Take care and God bless!

~Mieczystaw Aleksandr.