About

I’m a Baby Boomer who is a Florida native.  I collect shot glasses and bookmarks — among other things like Fiestaware, Russell Wright ware, pounded aluminum, souvenir Florida plates, vintage paint by numbers paintings of tropical scenes and pottery of all kinds.  For many years I was a potter but haven’t been active lately. My last projects were handbuilt colored clay construction.  I like all kinds of arts & crafts — using my brain in different ways.  Right now I’m captivated by the zen of crocheting.

I’ve lived and worked in just about every region of the state.

I began my working life as a maid in a resort hotel — after high school, before college.  My claim to fame — I cleaned the rooms of the secret service staff for Spiro Agnew.  I didn’t have enough seniority to clean Spiro’s room.  Another job was as a waitress and bartender at Angelo’s, an Italian restaurant with all the Sangria you could drink with entree.  That was an experience!  But I learned a lot that helped me deal with unhappy patrons who have  problems.

I went to college in a time and a place where there was an emphasis on interdisciplinary studies and personal accountability for learning. My degree was in literature with minor in education, 

I taught in Free Schools using an  interdisciplinary curriculum in 1970s & 80s.  One school was called the Sunflower School -a teacher owned cooperative.  Lullwater, a parent owned school was in Atlanta.  Those were amazing times where I learned so much from the kids.  I learned a lot about the power of helping people to develop intrinsic motivation — even for people of very young age.  I worked with kids from 7 years old to 18 years old who were often in “alternative” education for various problems. 

I went to get my graduate degree in Library & Information Management to become a children’s librarian but at that time jobs were scarce in youth services so I went into management, community outreach, marketing, training and networking.

I got my doctorate at  in communication — specializing in narrative communication, interpersonal & organizational.  I researched empowerment in applied action research and in organizational settings.  I wrote a “research novel” for my dissertation which was qualitative narrative study of domestic violence workers’ philosophy and practice of empowerment (both with their clients and staff).

Most recently I was president of Curry’s Consulting Services — a company of one.  For about 10 years I specialized in designing and facilitating leadership development institutes.  I brought resources and structure to the institutes but I also learned from discussions with the participants.

I’ve been working at the Alachua County Library District for about 9 months and learning more about Gainesville.  This is another chapter in life, another adventure in learning –lifelong learning.