I grew up in small town America and at nineteen I couldn't get out fast enough. Now 3 decades wiser including 25 years in mega-venue Los Angeles, and various stints around the planet, I've returned to view the place of my youth with renewed, but cautioned reverence.
Four distinct seasons in middle America provide frequent and welcome change, and an opportunity to enjoy their unique flavor. It's a place where if you don't like the weather, just hang out a while and it will change. I enjoy the warm summer breeze, the majestic trees and color in autumn, snow covered winter vistas, and fresh spring rain. However, after a few decades in more progressive environments, the social opportunities in middle America must be approached with care, as many living "under the dome" are considerably more indoctrinated with traditional conservative programming than those living on the coasts. Social and political attitudes that may flourish in a more progressive environment fall on deaf ears in most areas of middle America. So, if you're in the area, and have fresh beliefs and viewpoints, look me up, as I'm always looking for good conversation.
As a former network engineering technical manager for a not-for-profit company with the financial muscle and revenue to be in the Fortune 100, my formal education and experience is replete with technical jargon and how-tos. Along the way, I decided to finish a path of education previously cast aside years before, worked hard during the day, studied hard at night, and graduated summa cum laude. As a result, I was soon afforded positions of increased responsibility. However, each promotion became more about budget forecasting and spreadsheets, and less about engineering. After walking into the same building for 14 years, and surviving numerous corporate reorganizations, I realized I was getting tired of interviewing with another new boss and telling them what I did for the company. I enjoyed the path it provided, but it was time to move on.
After traveling the country, I settled in the Florida Keys and landed a gig as a talk show host for Clear Channel Radio. It was all about fishing, drinking, and sampling some of the best seafood in Florida. As the "Fishing Capitol of the World" known to have some of the best ocean fishing opportunities available, you can't overstate the relaxed living conditions in the Keys. They have a saying that "You just can't fish and drink all day, unless you start first thing in the morning." It sums up the relaxed attitude, as it's difficult to ever find anyone in a hurry. While behind the mic, I hosted a weekly talk show with co-host Captain Gary Ellis highlighting the popular Redbone Fishing Tournament and the "Catch the Cure for Cystic Fibrosis" series that contributes over 2 million dollars per year for disease research. It was a great gig, and maybe someday I'll return to the gin clear water, and ocean breeze of the Florida Keys.
I invested a couple years exploring the process of special effects in movies and television highlighted by a six month stint with the extraordinary folks at DAVE in Orlando where I was awarded an opportunity to work with Sony Imageworks to cover the creative problem-solving technical achievements that went into making Spider-Man 3. It earned the cover story for issue 14 of HDRI3D magazine.
Now, the patio, Scrivener, and my MacBook Pro provide sanctuary. My latest novella is carved from the cornfields of southern Illinois, and available on Amazon. Hitchhiker's Recipe is a political satire addressing addiction, corruption, and deception where city boys are told to sit in the corner and don't say nothin' stupid.
I'm currently working on a psychological thriller trilogy with the first book of the series scheduled to be published soon. Leveraging recent discoveries and new science, the trilogy is a fictional account challenging age old ideology concerning creation, God, the universe, and our existence as we transition to the coming New World Order.
Hitchhiker's Recipe
I'm currently working on a psychological thriller trilogy with the first book of the series scheduled to be published soon. Leveraging recent discoveries and new science, the trilogy is a fictional account challenging age old ideology concerning creation, God, the universe, and our existence as we transition to the coming New World Order.
