a book in the works:

 In 2020 the editor of a small local magazine in California contacted me about getting permission to publish some stories I’d written and posted on my old web site. Two were published, and she would like to publish one or two more. Along the way I mentioned that I’d been thinking of telling one or two stories on The Moth Radio Hour, a regular weekend radio show on public radio. Instead, the editor strongly urged me to write a book, compiling some of these stories.

Building: A Life is a career memoir following the unconventional path of a kid who didn’t fit in, through a checkered academic career, dropping out of art school, and reaching journeyman level as: an air compressor repair mechanic; welder; wooden boat builder; and machinist. The overcoming of obstacles is described, career stall and recovery, and other challenges. The story goes on to becoming a non-degreed engineer, designing automated bio-sample handling equipment, production tooling, test equipment, and optomechanical systems. The story continues with a machine shop being acquired to run a one-stop-shop design-and-build business for scientific startups for a dozen years. Ultimately, the biggest customer offers a complete buyout, buying the machine shop and offering a position as a staff engineer to wrap up a career in aerospace building laser-based missile defense systems. Building guitars and furniture for leisure rounds out the story.