Please Excuse the Mess
This blog is going to be all over the place, because rather than having a niche or a brand or a what-have-you, I just wanted a place to share stories and think out loud about the many different things that interest me.
I'll try to use tags to keep things somewhat under control, but really, it's just gonna be what it is.
About Me (as of March 2025)
- I live in Ontario, Canada with my partner Steve, two wobbly cats named Charlotte and Rubin, and a once-wayward rabbit named George.
- I'm a creative writer (mostly stage plays, plus some fiction and comics) and of course also enjoy the fiction of others, including books, comics, film, and theatre.
- My day job is in communications for a nature centre, which is fitting because I love spending time in nature.
- I've always loved animals and these days am particularly interested in how they think, what they feel, and how we human animals do or don't acknowledge their inner lives. This includes but is not limited to:
- How we talk about animals and represent them in art
- How animals use language and shape their own world in creative ways
- What (we think) we know about animal cognition, senses, perception, and emotion
- Animal rights, welfare, and related policies; especially wildlife welfare, which is an area I think is often overlooked
- I'm currently studying and developing projects related to humane education. This includes:
- Completing the Humane Education Practitioner Certificate from the University of Denver's Institute for Human-Animal Connection (you won't find that specific certificate listed on their website right now, as we were the last cohort before a major revamp)
- Developing a potential idea for a small social enterprise that would allow me to bring together my interests in the arts and humane education
- I'm considering going back to school for a master's in anthrozoology or animal policy, but there are a lot of factors still to consider.
- I'm trying to learn French, but frankly it's not going well.
- Oh yes, and I was already horrified/terrified by our collective failure thus far to stop the complete collapse of our climate and ecosystems; add in the current "administration" in the United States and, well, yeah.
I will keep updating this page as my life and my interests evolve. You can head on over to the home page for the latest posts, the support page if you want to add to my already too big to-read pile, or the contact page on my creative writing website if you'd like to get in touch.