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Dad was in training in the Air Force, so Mom stayed in West Virgina till I was born. We lived at Hickam AFB in Hawaii then Texas, but my parents returned to north central West Virginia to be near our ohana. I was raised to cheer for the Mountaineers, Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins.

Second born, I think I was the most difficult of my parent's four children. My life's course had veered from the straight and narrow, but it changed dramatically (at least to me) when I accepted Jesus as my Savior at age 17 and began the process of yielding my life to His will. I graduated from West Virginia University and have a Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

As an adult, I have lived in Massachusetts, Missouri, Texas (a second time), Virginia, Pennsylvania, California, and now North Carolina (also a second time). I am comfortable in the Pittsburgh region of PA and WV, but my heart aches to be back in California or Hawaii.

I served in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division's 313th Military Intelligence Battalion. Taught and did environmental research at West Virginia University for the DOE, CARB, SC AQMD. I continued that research at Arcadis as a contractor to the US EPA and am now an employee of the US EPA. My daughter is an office manager for an international construction company. I have a son who codes simulation software and authors video games.

My partners in adventure are my wife Joy and Bichon Frise, Moku. If we're not exploring around Oak Island, chances are we are trying out a new restaurant in Raleigh.

Life is good.