I lived a fairly austere life for 20 years or so in order to practce meditation and prayer, while also going to college and later working as a software engineer specializingin object-oriented programming in C++ and Java, and relational database design in Oracle on a Unix platform. For the first ten years of this, I lived as an unofficial nun (ie, not associated with an organization), and didn't watch TV, listen the radio, nor read books or newspapers except those pertaining to my spiritual practices, university education, and technical books and manual pertaining to my work.

These experiences have deeply affected me and will for my whole life, though I now enjoy a comfortable life, though my goal at the same time is to preserve at all times as much as possible, the constant awareness of God, the Divine,the Inner Guide, or whatever word that best conveys this to you the reader.

As far as education, I have a BA in English Literature, a Software Technical writing, an MS in Computer Information Systems, and was an Oracle-certified DBA.

In 2002, I becane very will due to autoimmune conditions, and am now legally disabled. In 2010, I had a stroke, which affected my speech primarily. At first, I could not even say my name. Now a have my speech mostly back, but it somewhat slow and takes more energy than before. I was a singer, and now, this is difficult -- I have to practice the words over and over and no longer can participate in a choir, which saddens me greatly. Still, my musical abilities are still intact, for which I feel outbounded gratitude.

Despite my speech difficulties, I still have done a few talks -- for the Pike Peak Opera League, Poetry West, and the Chamber Orchestra of the Springs at the premiere of "Dawn and the Phoenix", performed in 2012. Recently, Keith Simon of KCME, our local classical radio station, interviewed me about my composing activities. This was so much fun, and Keith is a wonderful interviewer. It may be some time before it aired (on KCME's "Cultural Zone") but I get a heads-up before that. Meanwhile, check out this program on KCME -- Keith talks to all kinds of artists, musical people and organizations, and so on -- a great way to get in touch with our local culture.