About Paul
My first love has always been nature – her beauty, comfort, and creatures. The poetic part of my appreciation for nature and the creative part of myself; however, were initially camouflaged or masked by my very strong analytical gifts and love for science. My early years were dominated by analytical expression and pursuit, until I was 25, when I quit medical school after three years. I finally realized that my life and work had to incorporate my creative talents and interests as well as my analytical gifts. When I quit medical school, the dean asked me what I planned to do, and I promptly said, “I’m going to be a writer.”
Even though I have made my living as a journalist and marketing communications writer/editor/manager, the kind of writing that I think I meant when I quit medical school was the kind of writing that I am doing now – personal writing. I tried doing some personal writing when I was younger, but it was kind of like someone trying to say something that hadn’t been lived yet. Even though those writings expressed good thoughts and had meaning; they weren’t poetic, fluid, or real enough.
The personal writings that I do now, started when I was 56 years old – triggered by the death of a close friend. In the few years before that, I also had several other personal losses, lack of employment, and pain from accidents, injuries, and surgeries. I suppose that those losses and my feelings of futility and frustration were the impetus for doing the kind of personal writing that I am doing now.
At first, I just started writing about the angry things in my life, and I was able to do so in a rhythmic style that seemed almost given to me as a gift. Even though I had journalist training, I had never attended any writer workshops – but all of a sudden, I was able to write poetically. Even so, after 10, then maybe 20 writings, I still wasn’t sure if it would continue. But it has, and now I have nearly 300 writings – mostly short poems, some essays, a few stories, and drawings.
Valedictorian of Starbuck High School in Western Minnesota.
BA in chemistry, magna cum laude, St. Olaf College.
Three years of medical school, University of Minnesota.
MA in journalism/mass communications, University of Minnesota.
MBA in marketing, University of St. Thomas.
2nd Lieutenant (medic) in U.S. Army National Guard.
Even though I have made my living as a journalist and marketing communications writer/editor/manager, the kind of writing that I think I meant when I quit medical school was the kind of writing that I am doing now – personal writing. I tried doing some personal writing when I was younger, but it was kind of like someone trying to say something that hadn’t been lived yet. Even though those writings expressed good thoughts and had meaning; they weren’t poetic, fluid, or real enough.
The personal writings that I do now, started when I was 56 years old – triggered by the death of a close friend. In the few years before that, I also had several other personal losses, lack of employment, and pain from accidents, injuries, and surgeries. I suppose that those losses and my feelings of futility and frustration were the impetus for doing the kind of personal writing that I am doing now.
At first, I just started writing about the angry things in my life, and I was able to do so in a rhythmic style that seemed almost given to me as a gift. Even though I had journalist training, I had never attended any writer workshops – but all of a sudden, I was able to write poetically. Even so, after 10, then maybe 20 writings, I still wasn’t sure if it would continue. But it has, and now I have nearly 300 writings – mostly short poems, some essays, a few stories, and drawings.
Valedictorian of Starbuck High School in Western Minnesota.
BA in chemistry, magna cum laude, St. Olaf College.
Three years of medical school, University of Minnesota.
MA in journalism/mass communications, University of Minnesota.
MBA in marketing, University of St. Thomas.
2nd Lieutenant (medic) in U.S. Army National Guard.
Biographical History
I was born on April 17, 1950, in Montevideo, Minnesota. My family was living in Milan, Minnesota, at the time. Dad had been an U.S. Army officer in World War II (1942-1946), and he was recalled in 1951 for the Korean War. During his training for Korea, we lived in Battle Creek, Michigan, for about a year. When Dad went to Korea, my mom, older sister, and I moved back to Minnesota in a small town called Trimont-Monterey. Dad returned home in 1953. In 1956, with a just-born little sister, our family moved to Starbuck, Minnesota, where I grew up on Lake Minnewaska and loved to fish and hunt on the lakes, swamps, and prairies. In 1965, my parents adopted a four-year-old boy – my new little brother.
My dad was an outdoorsman, soldier, butcher, printer, car salesman, and the editor/publisher of the small town newspaper in Starbuck, Minnesota, USA. My mom was a nurse, dedicated volunteer, and an inspiration for me to always care about myself and others. Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to have a strong family and many dear friends.
One of my first childhood memories is sitting in an apple tree on a sunny day in mid-summer with big white clouds floating by. As I observed that beautiful day, I knew then there is always something bigger than myself to relate to. Even so, I have curiously struggled with and searched for more meaning about the Spirit and Soul. While I was raised and still am a Lutheran Christian, I also love reading the teachings of various religions and man’s attempt to understand what our existence means. I especially love learning about previous cultures and how people lived and related to Nature.
Throughout my life, I have enjoyed my gifts and talents. At most times, I am a happy and cheerful person, and one of my gifts is to help others enjoy their lives. I especially love Nature, and I always grow strong in spirit when I do something outdoors. I played trumpet in the high school band. Even though I can’t sing a note, I love music and I love to dance. I also love sports and was quite gifted at baseball, basketball, football, golf, and pool.
I enjoy learning and thinking about anything. I was a valedictorian in high school (1968) and magna cum laude in college majoring in chemistry at St. Olaf College (1972) in Northfield, Minnesota.
In 1972 at age 51 years, my dad bought the Starbuck Times newspaper in my hometown; and I saw a new man come to life and really enjoy what he was doing. I had already been accepted into medical school at the time, but I thought to myself that being a writer might be something I would also really enjoy. Even so, I attended three years of medical school (1972-1975) at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. During those three years, I struggled more and more emotionally whether being a physician was something I wanted to do the rest of my life.
During a vacation in 1975, I met a writer from the Chicago Sun Times, which rejuvenated a spark in my life and helped me realize that even though I had the aptitude for being a doctor, I didn’t have the passion for it. I finally understood that my interests and passions for work were in the creative world, so I quit medical school to become a writer.
I enrolled at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism in 1975 and earned a masters degree in journalism and mass communications in 1976. I did my masters’ thesis on children’s readership of newspapers. I worked for a year as a journalist/editor for a small town newspaper in Decorah, Iowa; and then I published a children’s newspaper for two years in Northeast Iowa. I eventually missed using my medical and science background; so in 1979, I combined my love for science with my love for writing by working as a medical marketing communications writer for a year for a public relations firm in Cedar Falls, Iowa, which did business with a pharmaceutical company (The Upjohn Company) and a tractor manufacturer (Massey Ferguson).
In 1980, I was hired as writer/editor for The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, and worked there until 1986. During that time (1980-86), I also was a medic and 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard. Also in 1980, I married a woman from Decorah, Iowa. She attended medical school at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa; and she eventually became a physician. We were married until 1985.
In 1986, I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and worked as a marketing communications writer/editor/manager for Medtronic – a medical-device company – until 1994. While working full-time at Medtronic, I attended night school for six years (1987-1993) to earn an MBA in marketing from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota.
From 1995 to 2003, I operated my own medical marketing communications consulting business in the Minneapolis area. Since then, I have done various odd jobs and hobbies (remodeling, furniture refinishing, driving at an auto auction, ranger at a golf course, black diamond willow woodworking), and have pursued my personal writings.
My dad was an outdoorsman, soldier, butcher, printer, car salesman, and the editor/publisher of the small town newspaper in Starbuck, Minnesota, USA. My mom was a nurse, dedicated volunteer, and an inspiration for me to always care about myself and others. Throughout my life, I have been very fortunate to have a strong family and many dear friends.
One of my first childhood memories is sitting in an apple tree on a sunny day in mid-summer with big white clouds floating by. As I observed that beautiful day, I knew then there is always something bigger than myself to relate to. Even so, I have curiously struggled with and searched for more meaning about the Spirit and Soul. While I was raised and still am a Lutheran Christian, I also love reading the teachings of various religions and man’s attempt to understand what our existence means. I especially love learning about previous cultures and how people lived and related to Nature.
Throughout my life, I have enjoyed my gifts and talents. At most times, I am a happy and cheerful person, and one of my gifts is to help others enjoy their lives. I especially love Nature, and I always grow strong in spirit when I do something outdoors. I played trumpet in the high school band. Even though I can’t sing a note, I love music and I love to dance. I also love sports and was quite gifted at baseball, basketball, football, golf, and pool.
I enjoy learning and thinking about anything. I was a valedictorian in high school (1968) and magna cum laude in college majoring in chemistry at St. Olaf College (1972) in Northfield, Minnesota.
In 1972 at age 51 years, my dad bought the Starbuck Times newspaper in my hometown; and I saw a new man come to life and really enjoy what he was doing. I had already been accepted into medical school at the time, but I thought to myself that being a writer might be something I would also really enjoy. Even so, I attended three years of medical school (1972-1975) at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. During those three years, I struggled more and more emotionally whether being a physician was something I wanted to do the rest of my life.
During a vacation in 1975, I met a writer from the Chicago Sun Times, which rejuvenated a spark in my life and helped me realize that even though I had the aptitude for being a doctor, I didn’t have the passion for it. I finally understood that my interests and passions for work were in the creative world, so I quit medical school to become a writer.
I enrolled at the University of Minnesota School of Journalism in 1975 and earned a masters degree in journalism and mass communications in 1976. I did my masters’ thesis on children’s readership of newspapers. I worked for a year as a journalist/editor for a small town newspaper in Decorah, Iowa; and then I published a children’s newspaper for two years in Northeast Iowa. I eventually missed using my medical and science background; so in 1979, I combined my love for science with my love for writing by working as a medical marketing communications writer for a year for a public relations firm in Cedar Falls, Iowa, which did business with a pharmaceutical company (The Upjohn Company) and a tractor manufacturer (Massey Ferguson).
In 1980, I was hired as writer/editor for The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, and worked there until 1986. During that time (1980-86), I also was a medic and 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard. Also in 1980, I married a woman from Decorah, Iowa. She attended medical school at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa; and she eventually became a physician. We were married until 1985.
In 1986, I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and worked as a marketing communications writer/editor/manager for Medtronic – a medical-device company – until 1994. While working full-time at Medtronic, I attended night school for six years (1987-1993) to earn an MBA in marketing from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota.
From 1995 to 2003, I operated my own medical marketing communications consulting business in the Minneapolis area. Since then, I have done various odd jobs and hobbies (remodeling, furniture refinishing, driving at an auto auction, ranger at a golf course, black diamond willow woodworking), and have pursued my personal writings.