I am a retired enlisted Sailor and senior at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where I am finishing up my undergraduate degree in Journalism. The road from a high school dropout who joined the Navy in order to make a decent living to today has been a long, interesting route with more twists and turns a than a Kentucky back road. Along the way I found patriotic pride in serving my country, a love for the sea, and a flair for writing.

Believe it or not, this chapter of my life started with a letter I wrote my wife shortly before leaving for a six-month deployment aboard the USS Essex. I call it "the letter that wouldn't die;" it has been printed and reprinted in at least 2 newspapers, one book and plagiarized all over the Internet. Most people think it's the penultimate love letter. I was, at least in part, trying to be a smart ass.

I usually blame my wife for showing the letter to her friend who was the editor of the local newspaper, but the seed was planted a few years earlier when a certain maintenance officer I worked for in Whidbey Island inadvertently found out I could put more than three words together in a coherent sentence. He had me write several articles for Navy maintenance and safety journals, a few of which were printed. Seeing my byline in print was, and still is, heady stuff. Thanks CDR Baker, wherever you are.

As a direct result of the letter I've had my own column in three different newspapers. One column, written for the base newspaper at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, won second place for commentary in a Navy-wide journalism competition. Not bad for a jet mechanic scribbling in his spare time.

After I retired from the Navy, I decided to enter college. I chose Southern Illinois University for all the wrong reasons (it was as far south in Illinois as I could get and still go to a public school.) I coupled my major in journalism with a minor in creative writing. As of July 2002 I am one course away from my B.S. and with a little luck will have my degree by the fall of 2002. After school I plan to keep up with my writing through this website, and (if I can sell it) a local newspaper.

I'm married to my Webmistress, a very handy relationship for the most part. As long as I keep her happy, she keeps me up to date. We live in Carbondale with a very eclectic household that includes our "children" (her preteen niece and nephew,) her sister (no, not that one) her sister's 18-year-old daughter, an aging cocker spaniel named Mikki, a year-old golden retriever mix called Nemi (short for Nemeis,) a turtle called Tooter and a parakeet named Kitty. Besides duties as the resident scholar, writer and law-giver, I am also chief cook, appointment maker, lawn care specialist, auto mechanic and bug killer.

Somebody clone me, please!