Member gauchoman

Retired technical writer living in SE Idaho. Born in the Pacific NW, I had a normal childhood until entering high school. After four years of so-so education, I began college in NE Oregon, joined the LDS Church there, and in 1975 I began serving a two-year mission in Western Argentina, an experience that changed my life. 1975 was also the year I began keeping journals- a habit I continue to this day. After many college classes and crappy jobs, I discovered my niche with technical writing. I also found, via a string of creative writing courses, that I had a talent for nonfiction writing- especially in the areas of humor and creative/narrative nonfiction. In 1987 I found a woman who would put up with my foibles. We married, had three kids, and are now in our 36th year together. Eventually I self-published two memoirs, neither of which more than a handful of people have read. But no matter, for that experience helped me grow as a writer. At present, I'm learning to build furniture and bookshelves in my spare time, and post a lot of writing at Medium.com. I also read voraciously and continue to work away at several manuscripts that will probably never see the light of day, but which I need to get out of my system. And as of several days ago, it looks like I'll be spending an inordinate amount of time here at LT.