Introducing...my—self!

Hello Steemit, fellow Steemians, and Steemers!

Such a fantastic concept for a website. I'm going to be making quite a few posts in the future, on a variety of topics, so I think it's important to start off on the right foot. I am Callen Clarke. I love meeting people online, getting to know new communities, listening and sharing. But hate the process of describing myself, because this always involves labels, and labels means little categories that reduce and oversimplify who we are and what we represent.

For instance, I could tell you that I'm an avid fan of Science, Discovery and Technological Innovation, but then it might surprise you to learn that I am a Christian. And then, if I start with 'Christian,' you might assume all sorts of things, and never imagine that I am also—what's the word? 'Muslim Positive.' That means I have quite a friends who are Muslim: Sunni, Shia, Arab, Turkish, North African, Persian, etc.

I'm also 'Israeli positive', 'Euro-positive,' 'Atheist/Agnostic Positive...' In fact, I'm pretty much 'people positive.' Or, to put that another way, I think what matters is the individual, not the ideology or geographical origin. None of which touches on the fact that I'm actually a Musician (composer/performer/producer) a multi-instrumentalist etc, in addition to being a Writer.

I still haven't mentioned the best part though, and that is that I am a husband and a father of four beautiful girls, two of whom perform Arabic Music with me on a regular basis...

Oh yeah, the music and the Middle-Eastern thing go together for me... except when they don't...

I could add lots more, but I think the point is made: I am complex, differentiated, impossible to pigeon-hole and uninterested in being reduced to labels or categories. In other words: I'm an individual, just like everyone I've ever met. And I'm going to approach this adventure in the same spirit: on an individual basis. I'm not interested in finding people who look and think just like I do. (I've already looked, and there aren't any.) I am very interested in meeting new people, hearing new ideas, learning and discovering.

Happy writing!