I continue to enjoy my retirement, my family and friends. My family and friends will always occupy the #1 stop in my life. 

Over the last few years I have jumped off a cliff into the world of painting, sculpture, and photography.  I am in a constant state of an art project, beginning, middle and completing. 

I have always been facinated with languages and currently continuing my life long study of Spanish but have also taken on Korean, German and Italian and a bit of Portuguese. I remember when I was in high school that I told my parents I wanted to be a translator but much to their concern I choose Theatre Arts. I parted ways from the theatre a long time ago in participation but never in appreciation.  Now I am re-visiting an old interest ... languages. 

Traveling has now become a major factor in mine and my husband's life. 

Also, my husband and I continue to often retreat/escape to our "second home" in northern California where we are surrounded by nature's wealth and majesty, absent from most technology.  The nights living within God's natural habitat are quiet, except for the roar of the crickets and other nocturnal creatures.  During the day the wild turkeys scare the livin' daylight out of me! 

I will brag a bit and reveal that I am a master gardener.  My thumb is as green as green can be and I am always flooded with compliments over the beauty of my very large and awesomely beautiful yard/garden. 

Wishing everyone well and continued creativity and new joy to be discovered and shared.

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Writing poetry is my way of understanding myself and the world around me.

As to major literary influences in my life, everything I have read, past or present, whether book, play, newspaer or article, even how to assemble instructions, has influenced my life. Every movie, tv series, and family video has burned itself into my memory. Every painting, photo, print, sculpture and installation moves me.  I absorb it all. It all matters.

On the homefront I share my life with my husband and two grown sons.  I have lived the majority of my life in California's Bay Area, but also spent some ten years in the city of angels, Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles/Hollywood I was totally engaged in theatre from all angles ... acting ... to construction ... to public relations. While living and pursuing in L.A./Hollywood I wrote many poems that reflect the flip side of the two cities. All that glitters is definitely not gold in the limelight. I left the pursuit of the spotlight for love and raising a family, which included many chapters of hardships and enlightenment ... sadness and joy.

As to my family background growing up, it was very close knit, and remains so today. I'm Italian, Portuguese, Irish, Scottish and Welsh ... a bit of a mutt! The strongest influence, however, has been from my mother's background, which is full-blooded Sicilian. Growing up I can still remember the language of the old folks ... the men swearing in Italian and playing cards, and the women with aprons 'round about the kitchen, and all the little bambinos underfoot. However, I was the child/adult always butting the norm and remain so to this day.  However, my family will ever keep me busy in one way or another, and truly ... they are the foundation of my life.

I was also lucky to have a job I enjoyed going to each day. I worked in Special Education for twenty-two years as a ParaEducator. I taught all levels from kindergarten to twelfth. The last 14 years of my career I  had the pleasure to work with severely-handicapped teens at a local high school. They were very busy days, but one with many rewards and each student was a gem in disguise. Some of my poems have been inspired by my students ... their struggles always touched my heart and their achievements and successes filled me with pride.  I  retired in September of 2013 ... once again I began a new life adventure.

My concerns and support of US Veterans is constant.  My familiarity with PTSD is painful.