Welcome to my blog. Why are you here? Well, really only you can answer that question effectively, but I may have some guidance for you. This is the personal internet home of Michael Thompson. My alter ego is The Ranger of Darkhollow, and I am on a journey of self-improvement. First, lets be clear on one point, though I am a former soldier I was not an Army Ranger. I also do not work for the Forestry Service, nor am I a Texas Lawman. Why then, you may ask would I call my blog “The Ranger of Darkhollow”?
Yay! An opportunity for a vocab lesson! (As a teacher I live for this stuff)
Ranger – noun
- A Keeper of a Park, Forest, or area of the countryside.
- A Member of a body of armed men.
- British A member of the senior branch of the Guides.
- A person or thing that wanders over a particular area.
I view myself as some combination of definitions 1 and 4, with more than a small smattering of the classic Ranger of Fantasy Literature. There are aspects of these varying definitions and archetypes that are the focus of my self-improvement goals. I am certainly not saying that I cast magic spells (only because I don’t know how), slay actual orcs (often misunderstood creatures), or even that I have been appointed by a king to guard a forest (how cool would THAT job be).
In my mind the Ranger epitomizes the ideal of a tough, capable, warrior. One who is just as comfortable (or even more so) in the wilderness than in the city. An individual who fights the good fight, and serves causes worth serving. A Ranger is always on the right side of a fight, even if they lose. They are self sufficient, and self reliant without necessarily being a loner. This is the model I’ve chosen as a means of self improvement. This blog is about how I go about it.
What Will You Find Here?
At it’s heart this is a blog about my life, and my personal journey for self-improvement. I’ve recently been reading the book “Level Up Your Life” by Steve Kamb, and this is the record of my quest to follow its advice. This means you’ll find posts on topics as varied as Fitness, Nutrition, Adventure, Gear, Making Things, Cooking, Homesteading, Teaching, Writing, Quests, Engineering, Personal Finance, Family, and even Philosophy.
Self-Improvement of whom, exactly?
As mentioned above, my name is Mike Thompson. I am The Ranger of Darkhollow. I’m also a public school teacher, a gamer, a writer, a dad of 2, a backpacker, a farmer (sort of), and a husband. I am an educational consultant, and am on an amazing journey of self discovery & improvement. Other than those things I am an over weight American in my early 40’s with almost no extra money or time, who lives on three acres (most of which is up and down) in a tiny little New Hampshire town. My soil is bad, my sunlight is minimal, and my house always needs work. None of that stops me from trying to Live a Life Worth Living though, and it shouldn’t stop you either! Thanks for stopping by!
The Ranger of Darkhollow 
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