Where Are You Going?

Where Have You Been?

On the Rez

9 February 1970 I was born in a small town in Nebraska just South of Pine Ridge (Gordon, NE).  I spent my first six years living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, home of the mighty Sioux.  The name of the community was Sharp's corner, named after my father's father who settled there and opened a small grocery store.  Wounded Knee was just a few miles down the road, and during the mid-seventies was a turbulent political hot spot.

Rapid City

After graduating kindergarten from Rocky Ford Elementary School (I have a diploma somewhere) the family up and moved to Rapid City, at the base of the Black Hills.  Living on the edge of the lush rolling mountains and the dry badlands was a pleasure, but because of the limited economy of the area, was not such a great place to find a life.  Graduated from Stevens High School in 1988, and have lasting friendships with a few of my class mates to this day.

Off to the U

Spent my undergraduate education attending the University of South Dakota in wee Vermillion.  Mostly was able to afford college on a music scholarship (cello performance) and doing gigs at various venues (the Sioux City Symphony was the highlight).  Majored in Physics, minored in Mathematics, and wanted nothing more than to get out of South Dakota by the time I graduated in 1992.

Boston Round One

Spent a bit more time planning my graduate school choice (although not by much), and decided to get somewhere urban and hip.  Trucked off to Boston with as much as I could comfortably carry down a busy sidewalk (and that included my cello).  Enrolled in Boston University and received a Master's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.  After graduating, spent some time working in Cambridge for a mathematics software company (Round One, MathSoft).

This is the

Mid-West?!?

Found a wonderful job in Dearborn, MI sometime in 1994 doing consulting for the automotive companies performing simulations of vehicles.  Found that I didn't think the state of Michigan was all that wonderful, although I spent seven years living in Ann Arbor and really enjoying most of the time despite myself.  Had a nice house, with a nice yard, and a even nicer room mate.  After a hard 30th birthday and a few severe 2001 New Year's Resolutions, made the decision to move out of Michigan.

Boston Round Two

Found a job with a mathematics software company in the burbs, and moved out here in July of 2001.  Hope to spend a large number of years on this coast.