Hello!

Welcome to my home page. I am a software quality engineer for Symantec, (via Brightmail) in San Francisco. We make the best enterprise anti-spam software in the world. Prior to re-entering the technology world, I was a veterinary technician at Berkeley Dog and Cat Hospital. I had been working there since August of 2002, deepening my knowledge of the veterinary technology field to better apply myself as a marine wildlife rehabilitator.

I was, before that, an Assistant Survey Technician aboard the NOAA Ship Rainier. The Survey Department collects the data used to create and maintain nautical charts. We worked mainly in Alaska, but, also in Washington state. I spent a fair amount of time running single and multibeam sonar systems (KLEIN, RESON and ELAC), collecting bottom samples and taking CTD casts. Unfortunately, possibilities for transferring to another part of NOAA as a wage mariner were nonexistent, as was the capability to advance based on merit (as opposed to just plodding along and putting in time). I decided recently to cut my losses and forgo the stunning beauty of Alaska to try to find a position either doing field data collection on wildlife populations or continuing to work in wildlife rehabilitation. The decision to leave NOAA was a tough one personally as I made a number of great friends there - truly remarkable people - many of whom are now on other ships or in other assignments with NOAA. I have worked professionally as a kayak-based docent in a program jointly administered by the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement.

I love sea kayaking and have been doing so for several years in Central and Northern California, in Washington, in Alaska, off the coast of South Carolina and Georgia and in inland lakes in the Western US. In addition to sea kayaking, I enjoy hiking and camping and snowshoeing. I enjoy mountain biking - being lucky enough to live on Mount Tamalpais, birthplace of the Mountain Bike - and exploring established dirt roads/tracks in my 4WD Ford Ranger pick-up. I like remote places. I am a budding amatuer naturalist, slowly learning the trees, wildflowers, other plants, animals and birds of my area of the world. Marine Mammals are my most concentrated area of study so far, and among them specifically the harbor seal.

I am considering returning to university to pursue an additional degree, but, am currently on the fence whether it be for Marine Biology or some concentration in Veterinary Science. I am certified in CPR and recently received my certificates in Basic Marine Fire Fighting, Personal Survival Techniques, Elementary First Aid and Personal Safety and Social Responsibilities in compliance with STCW Basic Safety Training from the California Maritime Academy's Department of Continuing Maritime Education. I have had some training in HAZCOM and am pursuing additional HAZWOPER training through the state of California. I hope to someday train as a Wilderness First Responder and EMT.

In September of 2000 I retired from my former career as a corporate director in a software firm running SQA and Release Engineering departments. I particularly enjoy training teams in quality assurance practices and test planning processes. I also possess a wide range of hands-on skills in the industry as well: from SQL slinging to web development, image manipulation to building out servers. I have been a member of the WELL online community since 1989. I had a wonderful dog, Stella, who passed away on 24 February, 2004.

I have a degree in Russian Area Studies from the University of Minnesota. I lived in Russia in 1988. I am very interested in Georgian and Tuvan language and culture. I would love someday to visit Kamchatka, Sakhalin, Lake Baikal and Tuva.

I have been having more and more trouble inhaling the twisted truth spewed forth by the Bush administration and it's right-wing chicken-hawk hack squad of pseudo religious 'moralisers' who demand that we, in this country, step in line like some Soviet era nightmare. It seems the truth no longer counts for the truth. It seems that the idea of dissent is somehow unpatriotic. It would seem as if as true American's who love the ideals of this country we should just fade into some hole and not oppose this death knell for democracy. I say "Bushit!" (a great word as any as it means the same as that other 'offensive' word). You can be certain I will do everything I can within my ever receeding pool of rights to oppose this Orwellian regime and to speak truth to power. As a small token here, I will be highlighting a couple of links and speaking my peace. I hope to keep this paragraph in relative flux, please check back often and please, I do encourage your feedback.

• Fostering an environment that supports torture at the Defense Department

All of my life, I have been told of how we have the greatest medical system in the world here in America. What a crock of absolute hooey. Millions of Americans have no coverage whatsoever, and even for those who do, one waits months to get five minutes of some harried doctor's time and you are lucky if they even hear you. The only time you get their attention is on your way out the door when they all try to get their hooks into you for your every last cent before you head off into the sunset. This is healthcare? The only ones who seem to get good preventative care are the pharmaceutical and insurance industries basking in taxpayer funded government largesse. It is a national disgrace.

Some of the birds I have seen outside my window are the Oregon form of the Dark-eyed Junco, the Oak Titmouse, California Towhee, Pygmy Nuthatch and Chestnut-backed Chickadees (Jan '05).

I hope you will enjoy this page on Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Responsible moderate consumption of a fine single malt is a sumptuous pleasure. A fine single malt possesses a complex character analagous to that of a good wine. I hope you enjoy this nascent effort.