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I enjoy working things out in my head, writing down my thoughts and organizing the words so they make sense in a really cool way. You might call that a writer. You’d be right.

I used to get paid to write for The Post-Standard, a newspaper in Syracuse, NY. I also used to edit other writers and design the pages where their stories went. I loved it.

Let me ask you something. Did you read the paper this morning?

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So, I left The P-S after 14 years and enrolled in art school at Oswego State, which was down the street from my house. It was a lovely walk, even on icy mornings, and there were many.

I actually lost 13 pounds during that year. But more important, I learned how to make websites like this one, using not only Adobe Creative Suite, but the most important tools a graphic designer owns: my eyes, my head and my heart.

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I used all these skills and experience at a job with a Nashville company called Emma, the Web's most stylish email marketing and communications service. I wrote copy for Web banners, print ads and landing pages, then created those products for Emma's marketing efforts. During this time, I also completed my master's degree. Oh, and I also managed to keep those 13 pounds off (knocks wood).

By the way, I didn't read the newspaper this morning, not when I can get it online for free.

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Another chance

Command-Z, the handy "undo" keyboard shortcut, is my friend. During my 15 years in the newspaper business as a reporter, copy editor and page designer, I used Command-Z quite often.

I like to think of my time at SUNY Oswego as a big, life-changing Command-Z. I've learned from great teachers, some of whom were students along with me.

Click below to see some of what I learned at Oswego and what I've done in Nashville. It's not my best work, not by far. That's yet to come.