You can go home again, and I am going to prove it! 6 months ago, I was in a really tough position. Then my friend Meredith and her family helped me out, and for the last six months I have been living in Gardiner, NY - a small town just outside of New Paltz. As someone who has been involved in professional wrestling in a myriad of forms since I was four years old watching WWF on Channel 9 out of Seacaucus, NJ (Backlund era) to when my first article was published by Jason Freda right here on http://www.2xzone.com (and a former front page feature writer for Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Wrestling-Edge, etc.) this is now my home to continue writing about professional wrestling and my own personal journey as well. But today is about Memorial Day, so today is really about my family on my father's side.
Sometime in the 1940's, my paternal grandfather James Barton was an accountant and took a federal job at The United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. He is of French, German and English descent if I recall correctly, and he met my paternal Grandmother Marjorie (a Dutch woman who loved her wooden shoes and delf blue antiques), who was from Hoboken, NJ. Sadly, he passed away in 1986 and I remember some fun times with him, but my Grandmother took on his legacy after he passed away, working with The Merchant Marine Retirees Club and helping anyone and everyone in my family. She is our version of Rose Kennedy, and I actually lived with her on two separate occasions on 247 Steamboat Road in Great Neck, NY, the last house before The Village of Great Neck becomes The Village of Kings Point. My father has traced his lineage all the way back to The Minette family, so I am a Minette.
Yesterday, my mother Judith (a retired bookkeeper and my best friend in life) explained to me how I am also a direct descendant of The Hornbeck and Carney families. I am a Freligh, too. My mother and father met at Great Neck North High School before my dad went into the Navy, and my older brother (a physical education teacher named James C. Barton) lives in Merrick, NY. He taught Zack Ryder's younger brother Andrew Ryder! My parents were 20 when he was born as he is close to six years older than me.
I grew up going to functions at that Academy pool in Kings Point. Rocky was the lifeguard. Being a third generation military civilian means that I am a dyed in the wool American, and this day means so much to me personally. But I grew up in two towns - Great Neck and Port Washington, NY in the late 1980's and early 1990's, then I made a big mistake and I haven't lived on Long Island permanently in years, mainly due to fear and guilt. I met Josephine Bozan through college in 1999, and I spent some of the best years of my life with her and her family, who own a lodge up in Yulan, NY. I also became a self taught writer at that point, and me moved to Milford, PA for a very long time.
I am a proud member of Alcoholics Anonymous as well as Al-Anon. My journey in this program started when I was 16 years old. I have had my bumps and bruises throughout my journey in recovery - mentally, physically and emotionally. But I do what I have to do one day at a time.
Recently, I began talking to my father on a more personal level again after years of both of us being busy. My mom has become my living breathing best friend throughout my own personal journey of recovery, and it is time that Michael comes home for good. Sadly, Grandma passed away about 4 or 5 years ago. She was my best friend at one time, too. Today isn't about me or my family - today is about anyone who is an American.
Tomorrow, I will be heading to Kingston, NY to see what I can discover over the next few weeks about my maternal family lineage (they actually grew up in Saugerties). My blog will typically be about wrestling, but military holidays have always touched my heart and my soul, so once and awhile, I will keep my fans updated as to my journey as the family historian, a job I just created for myself. I don't try anything, I just do it. After all, I spent a little over a year losing 140 pounds, and I am only 36. Sometimes, the journey that ends allows another journey to begin. I cannot wait to come home for good! Happy Memorial Day everyone - please take your time to thank a soldier!
Mike
Add me on facebook
