After a long absence, I started writing poems again when I returned home to California in 1997. Although I was born in NorCal and spent my childhood there, I went to college, found a career, got married and had two wonderful children in the Midwest. Poetry has always been an expression of my feelings and interests. So you will find a wide range of both in this collection. I am inspired by and find my spirituality in nature, and the photographs included in "Right Next to You" share some of my favorite places. Although I have had a wonderful career in Healthcare, I found myself reconnected to Art. I performed in community and regional theater, and co-founded Acme Improv in South Bend Indiana. I must admit, that the talented stage players that constituted Acme became my second family, and I never had so much fun in my life. I performed, wrote, and directed with Acme Improv for 8 years. I also took classes with Second City later, when I relocated to the Detroit Michigan area.