Born and raised in San Diego, I enjoyed attending the nearby Old Globe Theater, where I developed a fascination with the dialog and general antiquity in the plays of William Shakespeare. In college I became intrigued with European and American social history, especially the languages, activities, and customs of these regions. I have tried to include these longtime interests in my books and calendars. I was fortunate to live in a number of other linguistically distinct English-speaking cities, including Milwaukee, New Orleans, London, and briefly New York and Portland, Oregon, and visited as many other parts of America’s “lower 48” as vacation time permitted. This introduction to the diversity of the English language, particularly during my New Orleans years in the late-1970s, planted a seed in me which led to my books and calendars. When I travel—whether abroad or in the San Francisco Bay Area where I live—I still find that listening to the way people talk is among my favorite experiences. In addition to writing, I spend part of my time working as a chiropractor, and consult clients regarding archaic expressions. I also enjoy reading about the English language, which allowed me to contribute a few scraps to the recent revision of the Oxford English Dictionary. I hope my books and calendars will make the language used around you easier to notice and more interesting.