About the Author
Work
I have taught writing, literature, and philosophy at DeVry University for the past 17 years.
I also taught part-time at Georgia Perimeter College for six years prior to DeVry.
I made this Web site as an easily accessible resource for my students and myself - to assist
in their homework, research, and classwork.
In a related career field, I have done writing, editing and graphic design for various professional purposes.
Presently I am writing, editing, and designing as a research assistant for Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
For more about my career, see my CV here.
Education and Academic Interests
I went to Wake Forest University and majored in English and Religion, then to University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I studied English and Education and received my
Masters degree. I am presently attending Georgia State University, getting my Ph.D. in
English and Philosophy. I have completed the coursework, passed the exams,
and am working on my dissertation on Walker Percy, entitled Walker Percy's View of Symbol
and Existence. I chose Percy because he asks the same questions I have asked; he is
intrigued with the same dilemmas I am, yet he died before he could finish his search and
explore the answers to:
What is symbol and, more particularly, language?
Why are only humans capable of it?
What does that say about the nature of human beings?
What is the triadic nature of symbol-mongering and what is the "coupler"?
What are the implications of the human need to symbolize and the
resulting human behavior and drives: cultural and religious activities not intrinsic for our biological survival but engaged in for some (what?) other reason?
Does a scientific paradigm adequately account for a human being's symbol-mongering capacity?
I am exploring some of those same questions.
Hobbies and Family
I enjoy traveling; I am an "Army brat" who was raised around the world, including the Philippines,
Hawaii, and Turkey, where I graduated from high school. I now have a grown daughter in college,
studying English, who is very talented and a better writer
than her mom! I have three cats, Bob, Percy (yes, really), and Emma. In my spare time, I like running, yoga, weights, cooking, renovating my home,
and building Web sites!
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