A little background

I didn’t always enjoy writing. When I was a fourth grader, my father (a Marine Corps pilot) flew the Presidential helicopter. We were invited to a 4^th of July party on the White House lawn and—for reasons I still can’t fathom—when we returned home, my father had me write an essay about the experience. Then he graded it. Getting that paper back, filled with comments in red ink, made me certain I did not want to do more writing.

Years passed and along the way some very good teachers helped me understand what makes writing work. They taught me why brevity is key and why fancy words can be worthless, along with a hundred other details. I discovered that I loved writing non-fiction; I had a particular knack for interviewing people and discovering what makes them tick.

Today, writing profile articles is one of my specialties. Funny how that works.

Beyond writing
I start every morning with a pot of black tea (preferably Irish Breakfast or Earl Gray) and it takes at least half an hour until I’m no longer cranky. Without the rest of the world to function in, my natural inclination would be to stay up late and sleep later. Alas, the world keeps moving, so I’m up early and extremely thankful for my hot beverage.

Doing yoga, coaching and playing basketball, weight-training, and walking our labrador keep me moving during the week. On the weekends, you’ll find me cheering on my three boys at various sporting events and, later, hanging out with family or friends. I enjoy great seafood, red wine, craft beer, and jalapeño potato chips, though not necessarily all at once.