About Me

A Glance through My Filter

A rare 0.4% of people have an edge called Synesthesia. We're able to link all senses and analytical skills into creative solutions.

Most people hear a symphony. My experience is more than auditory. I envision a story, complete with sensory-based input. And that might be the creative edge you need to tell a tale, achieve a goal, assess an option, or avoid/resolve a problem.

Let’s work together to blaze your trail.

Write With Me for customized solutions
Interactive Workshops for guided solutions
On-Demand Training for do-it-yourself solutions

Background

Chief of Staff to Canine Overlords

Some people say they "own" dogs. I know the truth. The dogs own us. Yes, we're property. Theirs.

Since we're good servants, they give us gifts. Like loads of corgi glitter (aka: hair) to decorate the house. And love. So much love. It spills out of them, and they make sure we get plenty.

My pups have decided that the only way to ensure their Chief-of-Staff remains healthy is to take it into their own paws. They even have snazzy red vests that alert others to their rank. As a result, my overlords tend to get very bossy when my blood sugar gets too low.

Writer

Storytelling is like baking bread. It requires mixing life experience with structure, kneading it gently, dusting with humor, then kneading/resting/punching/rising and baking.

Every aspect finds its way into my writing. If you're writing, your experiences should find their way in too.

I conquered improv, performed standup, and acted in a movie. I studied ballet, piano, violin, harp, drums, French (which I've mostly forgotten), Spanish, crochet, and woodcarving.

A few years as Chairman of the Board for a symphony and volunteering at a library gave me insight into the nonprofit world. Eight weeks with laryngitis taught me that people communicate in lots of ways. Not just verbally.

To round things out, I also studied neuro-linguistic programming, interpersonal communication, human reaction to change, and (just for fun) string theory.

Teacher / Learner / Inventor

My engineering brain comes into play as a teacher. I've taught English as a Second Language, tutored math, and taught various corporate classes. I'm all about patterns, leverage, and use. Why. What. How.

I'm a great learner. Love it. But, for example, I'm a horrible artist. Can't draw, can't paint. But I do it anyway. Partly because it's good for the brain. Mostly because, no matter how bad the result or difficult the process, I learn something. And everything (I really do mean everything) ends up incorporated. From a Matisse painting that helped me solve an engineering problem to string theory fixing story architecture, learning is more than just joy. It's useful.

Inventing/creating is a true adventure. From developing products, to inventing new ways to process the world, the creation process is one of discovery.

Musician

This one is more misnomer than stretch. But I couldn't find a snappy word for my "place" in the music world. My apologies to real musicians.

Took piano as a kid and spent a few years learning violin as an adult (before having neck surgery). Now I'm learning to play the harp, and I love it. Even when I play the wrong note, the sound fills my soul.

I'm also messing around on the flute (good lung training for asthma), picking up the drums (always wanted to play), and dusting off my piano skills. If I can ever find a good way to strap the violin to me (I can't use my neck to hold it in place), I'd love to pick that up again as well.

Caregiver

My mother has had 83 years to perfect her particular brand of stubborn. I didn't fall far from the tree. Commence conflict. But we both love dogs, music, laughter, and reading. More, we're both committed to enjoying life--which is more unique than folks might think.

Mom's not the only one with medical issues. And, sometimes, it's harder to "caregive" for myself than it is for her. (Did I mention inheriting the stubborn gene?)

Electrical Engineer

Over twenty-six years as an electrical engineer, my career took intellectual rides to solve complex conundrums. They ran the gamut from technical, logistical, process modification/creation, program execution (on time/on schedule/on spec), proposal development, profit/loss, and personnel problems, to managing change, setting visions, and building teams. Solutions required educating myself in mechanical engineering, software engineering, simulation, optimization, project management, and a few topics I'd rather forget.

So I have an engineering brain. I approach teaching, collaborating, and life as an engineer. Characterizing problems. Looking for patterns. Identifying variables. Testing leverage points. And optimizing solutions.

Guess what? These skills translate to every domain/industry.

Welcome