: About Me

A firm believer in living every day to its fullest, I am a former reporter, a creative writer, and a former grant writer.   My published works include poetry, short stories, numerous news articles and editorials. As a member of a major political party executive committee I developed a unique insight into American politics, and my experience as a grant writer in a medical school helped me develop my professional writing skills in technical areas.  My interest in the internet lead me into web design, and from time to time I increase my income by doing site development and coding for small businesses.  My children are adults now.

My passion is ...

not limited to one thing. I believe in helping others. I have been active in women's rights, civil rights, parenting, and Christianity. Writing is an outlet for my passion.

I know too much about ...

the internet, politics, writing, budgeting in tough times, working in a legislatively controlled field, parenting, and music.

My parents always told me ...

that you can only be the best at one thing at a time so choose carefully.

My childhood ambition ...

was to become a professional journalist and publish a novel.

My favorite memory ...

is a day when the world was wiped clean by a fresh blanket of new fallen snow, and I snuck out at sunrise to admire it. My father, noticing a missing child, frantically searched for me, and when he found me, he brought me a quilt, a cup of cocoa, and sat with me in the cold stillness, sharing the moment.

Why I write ...

Words are the paintbrush that lets me record the emotions of life.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Currently I am reading "The Wolves of the Calla," by Stephen King, "A Feast for Crows," by George R. R. Martin, and "Mortal Danger," by Ann Rule. I listen to soundtracks from Broadway productions like Les Miserables, but I also listen to Willie Nelson, The Wallflowers, and Flogging Molly. I watch the Food Network, the Discovery Channel, Glee, Comedy Central, CNN, the Today Show, and Grey's Anatomy.

My first job ...

was as a concession worker at a theatre. My second was as a cub reporter at a newspaper.

My best moment ...

when a letter written to veterans of Vietnam was read into the Congressional Record.

My inspiration ...

is my sister, an amazing woman who suffered life threatening injuries, she never let illness hold her back from her dreams.

Sciences > Earth Science (Other) How summer weather increases the risk of wildfires

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Massive wildfires in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico during the summer of 2011 have highlighted the fact that summer heat brings summer wildfires.  Why is summer fire season though?  The best answer is that fire loves heat.  In summer a glass pane leaning against a wooden fence becomes a magnifying glass.  A lightening strike on dry weeds is explosive.  Dry twigs become tinder when the summer heat dries them and heats them.  The hotter an object is to begin with, the more quickly it will catch fire.  You can’t stop the summer heat, but ...

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