Catching the breeze
By profession I'm a software engineer.
By passion I'm an artist: playwright, actor, director.
In most of what I do nowadays I mingle the two. For instance I’m building a dynamic, database driven website for the Anaheim Arts Council.
Realizing that my skill-set is in some demand I am now actively looking for more opportunities to build elegant, powerful websites at a cost that does not have customers raising their hands in despair!
And if I were not building websites I would be immersed in finally pulling together the biography of R W Buss – a famous 19th century artist – my great- great grandfather.
Did I forget to mention I love gardening? Really – there is too much. As you peruse this updated version of my site you’ll discover I’ve tried to cram the experience of about six different lives into one.
I took up sailing, for a while. I loved it. Then lack of time and a number of mishaps persuaded me to give up! I learned some valuabe lessons. You can't control the wind and the tide, but you can set your sails and tweak the rudder to make the best of what you've got. And if you want to get anywhere, you need to catch the breeze.
A Brush With Death
You try to pick your battles so you have a fair chance of winning at least some of them. And normally you would not choose to pick a fight, with your bare hands, with a police cruiser traveling at 25mph. Normally, that is.
Abnormally, these things can happen. And on December 17th, 2010, it did. The place, Downtown Anaheim, early evening, dark, raining. I am on a crosswalk, with the walk sign in my favor, making my way to a Christmas Concert when from what seemed like nowhere I was bodily slammed with such incredible force that had it been much harder I would not have felt it at all. Ever.
I lay on the street, people around me telling me not to move -- the paramedics would be there very soon. When those strong hands lifted me onto the stretcher I realized I was still clutching on to my reporter's notebook and handed it off to some anonymous stranger. You don't need all the details. I could easily have been killed, or had bones broken, or terrible internal injuries - all of which I was spared.
I lay in the ER and became aware of a police officer standing at my side. He cared very much what happened to me, for one of his colleagues had driven the car that ploughed me over. She was not chasing the baddies! She had no sirens blaring. She just swung round the corner without looking and -- blammo! The pathway back to health and strength has been very tough, but I'm getting there. My physical therapy doctors were wonderful. My Personal Injury attorney is looking after the legalities. My wonderfully supportive wife has never failed to encourage and care.
The garden grew out of control while I was in recovery. And I feel I want another dog!
Nowadays I count life so much more precious and try to make better use of my time.
