Interview
I’ve been asked to respond to a few questions for a project in the blogosphere. Since my life is an open book, I thought I’d oblige. Well, an open colouring book, anyway.
One of the great movie lines is from Steve Martin “I was born a poor black child”. I wasn’t, but it’s still a great line. I was born the eldest son of hardworking parents in rural New York State. I attended a small school, 43 in my graduating class, and then came up to the big city of Rochester to college. I attended a Catholic school that had only recently began admitting women and my freshman year was the first year they were living on campus.
Drinking and foolishness for 3.5 years and I graduated with a BS in Management. Ah, good times. I worked with the local chapter of the families of men MIA in Vietnam, and was a member of sorts of Young Americans for Freedom.
After college I wandered in the employment desert for a while, before settling in for 11 years in a college community near where I grew up. Joined a volunteer fire company, the Lions Club, began doing photography.
During much of that time I dated the same woman, but never pulled the trigger. In 1994 I met my lovely wife, on-line, and that was that. Moved to Rochester in 1996 and bought a house a year later. I’ve been an EMT since 1996.
I guess I’m all grown up, married, homeowner, five cats.
I began blogging with a Live Journal in early 2002, moved to Blogger about a year later, and to WordPress this fall.
1. I noticed that you publish some of your original fiction on your blog. What made you decide to do this? Have you ever submitted your work to magazines? The fiction thing is very new. I’ve always written satirical pieces but the category for original fiction is very new. I haven’t tried to have anything published in decades. I am interested in self-publishing through Lulu or another similar service. Just like everything on this blog, it’s a form of self expression.
2. How do you go about finding the news you link to? Is it a haphazard thing or do you practice specific searches? I’m pretty good at identifying sources for news. Google News seems to be the best of the portals. I don’t exclude the government sites as so many on the left seem to. I also like the BBC’s coverage of foreign news, especially in Asia. I skim Drudge, Free Republic and Lucianne.
3. How has your life as an EMT affected your writing? As an EMT you get to see up close and personal how people’s choice affect them and their families. You see how government helps or hinders. It’s made me even more libertarian than I was. And more in to individuals volunteering rather than waiting for the government.
4. What are the five blogs everyone should be reading (besides your own)?
