Patrick Stefanski:
CLASS OF 1987
Grand Blanc High SchoolClass of 1987
Grand blanc, MI
Patrick's Story
Hi. How are you? It's nice that you're curious about my uninspiring little life, but there really isn't much to tell. I live in the Chicago 'burbs with my wife, my 3 kids, two cats (it used to be 5, but they've all gotten old...), and a rabbit named Snoopy. Oh, and every toy ever created. In a small-ish 3 bedroom ranch with no basement, a 1-car garage, and an attic that gives new meaning to the words "long-term storage". I like my house, don't get me wrong, and the stuff bursting from the attic provides good insulation and keeps the heating and cooling bills low. But a bit more storage (or maybe a lot less stuff) might be called for.
My 3 girls are the joy of my life. At 9, 6 and 3, they still like being read to, cuddling, and hugging daddy when he gets home from work. I'm not looking forward to the point where they realize that I'm an embarrassing old geek, and that they'd rather not be seen with me. My 3 blond-haired, blue-eyed girls are smart, funny, and way too clever for their own good. Sometimes I realize how like me they are in some ways, and it makes me thankful that my parents allowed me to survive to adulthood.
My wife and I homeschool, and she/they are home during the day. Kymberlie keeps them hopping with activities like library programs and community theater, and spends most of her time with them Somebody has to do it, and I'd rather it be someone who loves them enough to only threaten to sell them. The kids are doing great with their school work so far, and we are only on our second whip. Yep - I love my girls. And I would never sell them. Really. Honest.
I Moved to Chicago to go to school at the Illinois Institute of Technology at the urging of my then-girlfriend in 1989, after getting an Associate's Degree from Baker College. Took me two years to realize I was in over my head - I worked almost full time, pledged a fraternity (don't ask), and tried to get a degree in Architecture at the same time. Took me 10 years to pay off the loans. I frequently say that God uses my stupidity for my benefit, and it's a good thing because I provide plenty of material.
The only part of college that I really enjoyed were the online RPGs (text-only back then), band night at The Bog, and the rare occasions when I actually slept. (Not including on the train to/from work, driving to/from work, while at work, nor short nights spent on the floor under my desk in Studio.)
Someday I'll go back and finish my Bachelor's Degree, which after 4 years of college I still don't have. But that will probably be online; I just don't have the stomach for on-campus classes anymore.
I used to do CAD work (Computer Aided Design). I was the all-purpose CAD guy until I was sitting in an office one day, the Manager o...Expand for more
f the CAD Department for a very cool aviation consulting company, realizing that I was a) a glorified draftsman, b) 27 years old and at the pinnacle of my career, getting paid as much as anyone was ever going to pay me to do what I was doing, and c) bored to tears.
So, like Jed Clampet, I loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Actually, I decided to move into the IT field, but it seemed like Beverly Hills at the time. You know, "swimmin pools, movie stars..."? Umm, yeah. Nevermind.
Anyway, I progressively got back into the field that I should have stayed in from the time I was 12. I was programming then, and reading hacker mags and tweedling around the internet before it was called the internet, so it was inevitable that I started working in the field eventually. My only regret is that I didn't do it 10 years earlier.
So now, 14 years later, I have worked as the Systems Manager in a call center, worked at my local County Health Department for 7 years, and now I work for a family owned, medium sized business. I love what I do, and someday someone will actually pay me to do it. What? Yes, they do technically call what I get a "paycheck", but that's a very creative term if you ask me.
So I do Novell, Microsoft and Cisco networking, I manage and monitor network devices, push software and lock down pcs, report on the porno and time wasting web sites you visit at work, monitor your email, and make sure you can't get to anything really useful, all while listening to streaming media that you are forbidden by policy from using and ignoring your phone calls for support. I love my job.
Actually, I'm a pretty good Network Engineer. And if you need an experienced, creative and highly skilled Network Engineer, maybe I'll love doing it for your company next! Or better yet, maybe I'll get my own little gig going and host all of your small businesses' systems. After all, wouldn't you like to put *all* of your company's IT needs in my hands? I can just feel your enthusiasm. Thanks for your support. Really. Thanks.
That's about it for my life. I have lots of things I like (like Science Fiction, sleep, geocaching, and trying not to kill Bonsai trees), but I rarely have time for any of them. My kids demand and deserve whatever time I have, and I would rather spend it with them now than sit around in my old age complaining "they never call, they never write..." And I've been blessed with a wife that loves and tolerates me - and trust me, that's no easy task!
Life isn't perfect. My life isn't perfect. But it's better than I would have done had I planned it better and made fewer mistakes, and it's way better than I deserve.
By the way, I'm on twitter and fb as Patrick in Chicago, if you care to get in touch.
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Register for Free to view all yearbooks!
Reunions
Photos
