Home: Eugene, OR. Birthplace: Portland, OR. Profession: Contractor. Organization: The Merry Craftsmen. Significant other: My wife Janice. Alma mater: University of Oregon.
Current project: Remodeling a home, maintaining its postmodern architecture and décor. Latest accomplishment: Collaborated with other craftsmen in the completion of a large timber frame carport. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Writing a historical fiction novel. Hobbies: Backpacking and climbing. Recent travel or adventure: The 140-mile Fisherman’s Trail in Portugal. Last book read: Mountains of the Mind, by Robert MacFarlane.
Personality profile: Caring, inquisitive, fun loving, contemplative, adventurous. Moral compass: The Golden Rule. How do you define a perfect friendship? Mutual respect, generosity, understanding, and a desire to wish for a friend’s success and happiness. What is your greatest joy? Spending time with my friends, exploring the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada. What is your greatest fear? Being misunderstood and not pursuing life pursuits. What is at the top of your bucket list? Walk the entirety of the Northern Way of the Camino de Compostela. How do you relieve stress? Being in the wilderness.
What was your first paying job? Maintenance assistant. What was your favorite childhood toy or game? Midnight adventures on the neighboring golf course. What’s prominently featured on your home or office wall? A quote from Winston Churchill. What’s the best advice you received growing up? You should do thank you, not just say thank you, and, it is better to be interested than interesting. What company or organization do you most admire? Habitat for Humanity. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? A difficult childhood.
What is your big idea?
Find peace with all citizens and allow for all of us to embrace our differences of opinions.
What change would you like to see in the world? Universal Healthcare for all and the end of demagoguery. What message do you want to send out into the world? Be there for your friends and family and seek to make the world a peaceful place.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? Wild Attempts at Getting It Right. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? My mom. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A surgeon. After your loved ones, what object would you first save from your burning home? My walking stick that I used to complete the California section of the Pacific Crest Trail. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? Climb a mountain with a good friend. What advice would you give your younger self? Believe in yourself and go after what you want to pursue, not what others think is best for you.
Personal motto: If you are not living life on the edge, you are taking up too much room. Favorite quote: “Two roads diverged in the woods, and I took the one less traveled by. And it made all the difference” (Robert Frost). Desired epitaph: One more thing.
