I returned to the local area in March 2011 after 16 years in Colorado. My wife Leslie is a veterinarian with an adult daughter, Gianna.

I have an adult son, Evan, currently a student at Colorado Mesa University. My mother lives in the area; my father and one brother live in the southwest US. I have relatives, friends, and extended family all around the Pittsburgh area, but primarily in the Northwest suburbs and in Beaver County. 

I was born in Sewickley, but lived in Aliquippa until I was 11 years old. From then on I lived in Sewickley, Edgeworth, Bell Acres, Pittsburgh, and Avalon before a job in Colorado beckoned. I am a 1978 graduate of Quaker Valley.

I have been a blogger since 2006. My blog is a mixture of personal observations and commentary on varied subjects. It is subtitled "Notes from the journey. In God We Trust, all others we monitor".

In keeping with that, my interests include but are certainly not limited to:

• Public safety, in terms of radio monitoring and the practice of incident and emergency management. I try to use my experience in various public safety disciplines to bring an understanding of what happens during a major incident or emergency to those who may be curious as to what capabilities truly exist, and/or how their tax or donation money is being spent.
• The energy industry in both Pennsylvania and Colorado. I have followed closely the Marcellus Shale "boom", and how the response of government in both regions of the country seems to differ so greatly. As one who has experienced and seen suffering from illness, whether environmental in nature or not, I have to wonder how much of the disease we see today, especially cancer, especially pediatric cancer, is a consequence of economic pursuits past and present.
• History, especially as it relates to the local industrial past, as well as architecture. I've been a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright for many years. While the proximity of Fallingwater makes this very convenient, there is so much more to this genius and the way he influenced how Americans live and work today. 
• Government operations and accountability. Before moving to Colorado, I was very interested in the seemingly myriad overlapping layers of government that are present in Pennsylvania. In returning, that interest remains, especially in comparison to western states and our recent political history. Regardless of the style or methods, our citizens deserve the best possible government they can get for the hard-earned tax dollars they put into it. I hope to be active and involved in the process. 
• Print, broadcast, and online media. While in Colorado I produced a a local radio program that worked with elementary and middle school children to learn to spell, define, and use a new word in their vocabulary, and record a script using it for broadcast. I've got a good quality speaking voice and can do basic to advanced editing of audio, video, and HTML. I am looking for opportunities to leverage my experience into something that helps a community to be informed, and grow as a result. Wow, something like Patch...

Looking forward to the journey, and to participating in this vibrant and active addition to the online community.