Biography
Hello, my name is Neal Allen, and I am a Sophomore at the University of Georgia. I am a Finance major thahat has just been accepted into the Terry College of Business this semester. I have lived in Atlanta my entire life until college. I have just signed a lease for a house in Athens with four of my boys on the club swim team here at UGA. Hopefully the house doesn’t erupt into flames by the end of the year. In addition to swimming I have played almost every namable sport. I am a big sports fan: it is my hobby. A second hobby of mine is music. I do not play as much as I would like to, but I have a good sense of rhythm which allows me to dabble with a wide variety of instruments. I am a big jam band guy, but I will listen to just about anything. Two pretty generic hobbies, but they’re generic for a reason.
Anyways, with the lingering thought of needing to write a biography that gives further insight on me, what better way to do so than to discuss some of my family member that have made a major impact on my life. I have been recently searching for inspiration from all sources. It is Thanksgiving break, and I am eating dinner with my family at a nearby restaurant. Mom reads aloud an email she receives from her brother (my uncle never texts). It reads something along the lines of: dinner reservations are scheduled for Wednesday, we are going to the club, make sure to wear your coat and tie, Dad would be happy. “Dad” refers to my grandfather, Pops. Pops was a man that dressed to impress
It was ironically planned that I shared a birthday with my maternal grandparents anniversary. I was a C-section baby, so my parents had a small window of time where they could choose the day of the surgery and choose my birthday. I am glad I share this day with them. Both of them have passed recently, and every year on June 29 while I celebrate my own birthday, I will remember my grandparents.
My Mom’s side of the family has always acted more formal. At least that’s how it appeared to me as a child. On my ninth birthday I was told to dress in a coat and tie and introduce myself to hundreds of “old people” at my grandparents 50th anniversary party. At this point I began to get a little less excited about what I believed was my special day. As a child it’s difficult to comprehend that you’re actually not the center of the universe.
It is true Grandmother and Pops were more formal than most. We did call our grandmother Grandmother… However, their wisdom was unmatched. They showed me what success is and taught me how to act like a gentleman. They were two of the most charitable individuals I have ever known, and it took me until their funerals to fully realize their impact on the earth. Neither bragged about their accomplishments; however, both had endless stories of goodwill. It is no surprise that Bernard Neeson Neal (Pops) is related to Isaac Ross, the man who this project is about. Both genuinely strived to make the world a better place
My Dad’s side of the family on the other hand is strikingly less serious. Visits to Mimi and Popeye’s were always filled with us rolling around the house on scooters or jumping in their beds at 5AM for early morning pancakes. Popeye died when I was 6 and Mimi when I was 12. I have fewer memories, but they definitely taught me how to act like a kid.
My friends know me as one of the most ridiculous people they’ve ever met; I have been described more than once as a cartoon character. Maybe it’s due to my catchphrases (“That’s outrageous” “WHAT!”), quirks, or never changing outfits. However, I know exactly when and how to be appropriate. I continue to enjoy myself and live life to the fullest, yet I know I am poised for success. While my parents are the ones that have taught me to be the man I am today, my grandparents played an integral role as well. After all my parents are the children of my grandparents.
