Mo / Carpentry class of 2011

In the fall prior to applying to NBSS, my book, Harvard Square, An Illustrated History Since 1950, was published. It was my first book and a huge undertaking which took up most of the previous five years.  Prior to the book, I was a freelance graphic designer for about a dozen years. All throughout that time I also did (and continue to do) voice- overs, which is a great flexible way to earn some dough to keep alive the many projects I like to do.

After all of the time I had spent sitting in a chair staring at a computer screen, I really felt like I wanted to use my body more. I had a very long-standing interest in carpentry and construction –including a dream of building my own house– that was like a vein of marble, running consistently under the surface where most people didn't see it. Occasionally, I found opportunities to try my hand at projects and gained just enough of a taste to know that it was something I wanted to try in a more serious way.

Going to school seemed like a great way to learn because I knew that bottom- rung carpentry jobs were not easy and a novice-level income would not be adequate for me given where I am in my life (I'm 41 and over the Ramen noodle phase). I also liked that I could probably still do some voice-over work while in school, something that wouldn't work well with a real job. Then, by the time I graduated, I would have more options.

I sometimes feel as though I have two lives, my NBSS life and my previous life. When I am not in school, I try to do some writing, including kicking around book ideas or opinion pieces and I still do voice-over work.  I'm also a musician, currently singing in an a cappella group, I play piano and I have been doing improv comedy for ten years with a group in Brookline called Kitsch in Sync. I have a very cute mystery mutt named Comet. Oh, and laundry.