About Mark Thompson

Welcome to my corner of the internet. I’m Mark Thompson, a 46-year-old father, student, and lifelong technology enthusiast embarking on a new chapter of my educational journey.

My Story

After 17 years on Social Security Disability, I’m returning to formal education with the help of Vocational Rehabilitation. This transition represents more than just a career change—it’s a personal transformation and the pursuit of dreams I once thought were impossible.

Family Life

I’m a father to four children and stepfather to two more. Our household is wonderfully chaotic, filled with the energy and challenges that come with raising teenagers. Balancing family life with academic pursuits requires careful time management and the support of my family.

Educational Journey

Current: Associate’s Degree in Computer Networking
Planned: Bachelor’s Degree in Cybersecurity
Future Goal: Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence

Each step represents not just academic achievement, but a reclamation of potential I thought I had lost.

Technology Passion

Computers have been a passion since childhood. I was online in the early 1990s with Prodigy and AOL. Even during my most difficult years, that passion for computing never truly disappeared—it simply waited patiently in the background.

Neurodiversity

I’m autistic, which means I process the world differently. Writing helps me organize my thoughts and experiences in ways that make sense to me. This blog serves as both an outlet for self-expression and a record of this transformative period in my life.

Why This Blog

I want to document this journey authentically—the struggles alongside the victories, the late nights studying until 2 AM while managing family responsibilities, and the gradual rebuilding of confidence that comes with pursuing meaningful goals.

Perhaps my story will resonate with others who are starting over later in life, or those navigating their own unique paths in technology.

Contact

Feel free to reach out if you’d like to connect or share your own journey. We can usually do a whole lot more than we give ourselves credit for, especially when we put our heart into what truly matters to us.