Who am I, exactly?
I believe we are defined by our mission in life. My life mission is building intentional communities. I notice a growing need for real community in today’s disconnected low-trust world.
I was a computer geek as a kid. I remember writing Applesoft BASIC on an Apple II-GS and getting excited about being able to print things on an ImageWriter II a dot matrix printer that came with four different fonts!
Career-wise, I started in 1996 in the electronics field as a technician working on circuit boards, robotics, and control systems, which I did until 2007. In 2007, I shifted into marketing and copywriting. I slowly started to wind my way into operational consulting and then took a job as a bookkeeper in 2017, where I worked until 2020. Currently, I’m in the self-employed saddle again.
At heart, I’m a writer and an artist. Like many self-identified artists, I’ve had my own struggles with the need to do what pays the bills and the desire to do what lights me up. Over the years, I’ve adopted numerous strategies for keeping myself sane and financially solvent. Easier said than done, but it didn’t have to be as difficult as I made it.
I also have found a lot of enjoyment in drawing and painting. I took a black and white photography class in high school, and I remember with fondness the process of developing prints in a darkroom. I still remember the smell of developer chemicals and the red lights creating a B-horror flick sort of feel.
I’ve been a member of Toastmasters since 2007, the year I moved to Raleigh. I joined to become a better public speaker and have stayed a member because of the unique kind of relationships that form over time in a Toastmasters club.
I’m also a member of Braver Angels since 2021. They are a group dedicated to addressing the dysfunctional political state of the world and particularly America.
I’ve taken an interest in the Effective Altruism movement, which I heard about for the first time in 2023.
That’s all I’ve got for now. I suspect I’ll likely add to this page from time to time.