I just recently moved to Seattle with my fiance, where I'll be doing some interesting research work in psychology.

In my second to last year of college, I took up writing once again due to the powerful influence of a most excellent teacher who taught the most fulfilling class I had taken- Joe Germana of Transpersonal Psychology at Virginia Tech. I realized how important the creation of art is to being a human present in the world - for me, writing is an aide that helps to seek and open the gates to magical and peak experiences. Above all, I feel these experiences lie in the realm of the natural world that we have a tendency to be closed off to.

Below is a list of categories that briefly outlines influences on my writing.

Metal - The genres of Viking, Power, and Doom

Books/Authors - J.R.R. Tolkien; Carlos Castaneda; Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind

Subjects Both Academic and Spiritual - Zen Buddhism, Transpersonal Psychology, Integrative Psychology, Positive Psychology, and Norse mythology

Scandinavia - Norway and Vikings

The Natural World - Mountains, Landscapes, Skyscapes, and Birds