I wanted to get my ideas and other progressive ideas "out there" on the net, after having my first submission accepted to www.commondreams.org my next ten were ignored. I understand the publisher gets over 3000 emails a day, so this is understandable. I've also had my OpEds published in our local 70,000 circulation daily paper. Having developed the taste for getting my ideas out there, I wanted to get my articles seen by others. I also saw that there was a need for a progressive site that provided more than just political, issue news and opinions. I thought I could put together a site that also covered a broader spectrum of the news. .
I've also written as a freelancer for numerous publications, including Success, OMNI, Writers Digest, Family Health... so I've also had a taste of writing for large audiences. I wrote a cover article on new approaches for arthritis that led to 50,000 letters being written to the arthritis foundation (they were not happy, having to pay to have them all answered.)
So far, OpEdNews.Com is a labor of love. I've earned a pittance at this writing, But I believe that OpEdNews.com offers a unique format that has the potential to attract a lot of readers, and I know that it is already beginning to make a small difference. I was traveling in Montreal the other day, reading Michael Moore's new book, Dude, Where's My Country? and a couple in their forties asked me about the book. I mentioned OpEdNews.com and they'd heard of it. Whew. that was nice-- an emotional paycheck.
I'm 52, with two kids in college and a 13 year old who's into hiphop, particularly Eminem. I'm divorced and was awarded full custody of the three kids in 1994, and in 1996 my life partner, Rhonda came into my life and she's been a godsend, helping to raise the kids.
I graduated from Penn State in 1972, with a major in Psychology and an informal minor in Journalism/media. I received an M.Ed. in Counseling Psychology from Temple University in 1979, where again, I took journalism for all my electives.
My own music tastes are pretty varied, including blues, rock and roll, show tunes, world music and classical. Hobbies include downhill double diamond skiing, singing lead in a barbershop chorus, river-wading bass fishing, racquetball (B-league) and I try to do five miles on the treadmill, plus lift some free weights at least three times a week, in addition to the other activities. For my synagogue, I'm on the board of directors, publish the weekly newsletter and maintain the website.
I try to mix up my reading, bouncing between non-fiction and novels I've done over 150 Reviews on Amazon.com so you can get an idea of some of my reading. I'm also an avid movie-goer-- a sucker for period pieces, romantic comedies, epics, fantasy and science fiction and, more and more, the best of bollywood. I have a great interest in the art, science and application of story, and started a website and conference related to it StoryCon. I've also had a great interest in what is currently called the field of Positive Psychology. When I was developing my interest in it, in the early 80's, the field did not exist. I have a website related to this at www.positivepsychology.net
I make my living primarily with the company I founded in 1978-- Futurehealth Inc. which sells products related to stress management, biofeedback products and which, for the last 12 years, has been running conferences-- The Winter Brain Meeting and StoryCon Summit Meeting on the Art, Science and Application of Story.
I've also put together a few hobby websites:
www.quotationscentral.com www.sphincterpolilce.com www.positivepsychology.net
There's more info about me, focused more towards my work in the field of Mind/Body/Spirit, at my Bio on the Futurehealth website.
