About
I was born in Detroit and raised in Northville, Michigan. I learned mechanical and architectural drafting from my father. It was a skill that had the most employment value and brought me to Chicago in 1966. The 1968 Democratic National Convention in that city, opposition to the war in Vietnam, and participation in Civil Rights demonstrations turned my political views liberal. I embraced the concept of the Woodstock Nation. By 1970 it was clear to me that the consumption/growth model of the human organization was unsustainable.
I went to Juneau, Alaska, in the Spring of 1971. Think Goin’ Up the Country by Canned Heat.
In Juneau, I worked for the City, the State, various engineers, and the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority. I also got married and became a daddy. Eventually, I became a partner in a small architectural firm.
My partner and I spun off a corporation for real estate development. The war between Iran and Iraq in the 1980s caused them to pump more oil to pay for their conflict. As the price went down, they increased production, further lowering its value. At one point, the spot market for a barrel of oil reached $8.00. Oil is the largest source of revenue for the State of Alaska, and the State government is the economic backbone of Juneau. The demand for construction and development in Juneau died. Our development company failed, and we lost all our money.
I moved to Connecticut in 1986, where I managed various design and construction projects. A recession in the early 1990s left the New England construction job market in dire straits. I moved to Seattle in 1992, which had a growth market. In the Northwest, I managed various residential and commercial projects culminating in representing the Government’s interests for the building and remodeling of military Commissaries.
The Government’s interests are served by ensuring that they get what they pay for. That job was great fun. I got paid for making sure buildings are well built. Ultimately, I became Program Manager for one of the contractors performing this work on behalf of the Government. I had an office at Lackland AFB for six years in San Antonio, Texas.
I retired in 2016 and started working on my first book. I do most of my writing at a local coffee shop. I also teach chess, and tend a garden plot.
I went to Juneau, Alaska, in the Spring of 1971. Think Goin’ Up the Country by Canned Heat.
In Juneau, I worked for the City, the State, various engineers, and the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority. I also got married and became a daddy. Eventually, I became a partner in a small architectural firm.
My partner and I spun off a corporation for real estate development. The war between Iran and Iraq in the 1980s caused them to pump more oil to pay for their conflict. As the price went down, they increased production, further lowering its value. At one point, the spot market for a barrel of oil reached $8.00. Oil is the largest source of revenue for the State of Alaska, and the State government is the economic backbone of Juneau. The demand for construction and development in Juneau died. Our development company failed, and we lost all our money.
I moved to Connecticut in 1986, where I managed various design and construction projects. A recession in the early 1990s left the New England construction job market in dire straits. I moved to Seattle in 1992, which had a growth market. In the Northwest, I managed various residential and commercial projects culminating in representing the Government’s interests for the building and remodeling of military Commissaries.
The Government’s interests are served by ensuring that they get what they pay for. That job was great fun. I got paid for making sure buildings are well built. Ultimately, I became Program Manager for one of the contractors performing this work on behalf of the Government. I had an office at Lackland AFB for six years in San Antonio, Texas.
I retired in 2016 and started working on my first book. I do most of my writing at a local coffee shop. I also teach chess, and tend a garden plot.