I'm Chip, 60 (though nobody told my energy or my curiosity). Grew up in the rural South... deep in the boondocks, where my kind of truth wasn't just unwelcome, it wasn't survivable. Currently between chapters — literally and geographically — trying to decide where home is now. Came out after 15 years of marriage with two daughters, 13 and 11 at the time. That was the first detonation (about 12 years ago now) and it kicked off a chain of blasts I couldn't have predicted if I'd tried. The kind that don't just rearrange your life, they burn the whole thing to the foundation and dare you to still be standing when the smoke clears. Lifelong entrepreneur and current writer, finishing up a book about identity, trauma, and what it actually takes to come home to yourself. I'm not here to perform recovery or pretend I have it figured out. I'm here to learn, to sharpen, and to be useful to anyone still in the middle of it — because I've walked through enough fire to know that the other side exists. What I do for fun: skiing, hiking, anything outdoors. Cooking. A good bourbon or a solid glass of wine when the moment calls for it. Researching dog breeds I have no business owning yet. I like hard conversations more than easy ones, which is probably why I'm here. Thanks for having me!