Look and Listen

Biography

1957-- born in Southern California 1965-- began writing 1971-- moved to Napervlle (Chicago suburb) when the population was 22,000; it's now 160,000+. Fell in with a bunch of geeky girls like me; we made a movie senior high school year titled "Who Stole My Hammer?" I was the director and cinematographer. 1975-- entered college to become a lawyer 1976-- parents convinced me I wasn't cut out to be a lawyer because my short temper would probably keep me in contempt of court most of my career 1977-- decided business was my career path because of the stellar job I held at K-Mart, managing the book department. 1979-- blew off my Chinese Philosophy paper so that I was not able to collect my Bach degree until the end of the following semester; worked as "marketing manager" for boy-friend's father's company, a manufacturer of boiler gaskets. 1980-- got a dream job as PR writer for an 11-office real estate company. 1981-- fired from above for moving a typewriter, by one of the company's board members -- another red-haired female who saw me as a threat to her throne of power (she was sleeping with one of the principals). Lesson learned. 1989-- moved to the south, got married, had baby, divorced, moved back to Naperville by stroke of good luck and timing 1991-- laid off after local newspaper I worked for was purchased by Copley 1991-- started freelance writing after the only other job I could find was selling insurance for a group of foreigners, one of whom had a mole atop her upper lip so large and gruesome that it gave me nightmares for a week. 1998-- went back to the rat race to work for my current employer, a publisher of community and college guides. 2003-- father died of a sudden massive herat attack late Christmas Eve -- profoundly changed the course of my life 2006-- realized (with surprise, for reasons unknown) that what I want to do with my life is WRITE and connect that somehow to books -- collecting, opening a bookstore, or ??? 2007-- turning 50 this year and wondering what I'll be doing the rest of my life.

Inspiration

I didn't realize until just a little while ago that my father's death 1t 10:30pm Chrostmer Eve, 2003 was the life-changing epiphany that I read about so many otrher people experiencing. Through the grief, therapy and time I've undergone since that night, I've explored the questions, "What should I do with my life?" and "How can I make a difference before I leave?" I do know that I have been writing since I was seven or eight years old and always been pretty good at it. I've also been an avid reader, for even longer. I take pride in my abilities as a writer; there is little that makes me feel good about myself than when someone compliments my writing -- or photography, my other great dream/passion.