I vividly remember the images in the thick hardcover book. The hand creeping out through a hatch in the floor, a ghastly dull green hue painted across the picture, as if all light there was lensed through pale moss. The image itself seemed animated, and in my mind I can see the child clutching her teddy bear as she is huddled in the corner of the room, finding no spot further away from the hand that pushes open the hatch in the floor. Little light was thrown over her petrified face, and the black shading enveloped the majority of the picture, leaving the reader with a feeling of despair and emptiness. I remember the image was absolutely horrifying for me, but the words, the words made the picture come to life, and imbued fear into the image on the page.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents Stories for Late At Night sat on the shelf in my Nana’s front room, and when my parents had a night out without their three children, we relished every minute as we stared at the images sandwiched between the hardcovers of this book. As I aged, and had the comprehension and yearning for reading, I was able to sit down and translate the words which enhanced the images of these terrifying stories. Oh what a pleasure it was to learn why the hand crept out of the floor, and how simply horrifying it now became. My imagination had stopped at the mere terror with which that young girl felt, but now I felt that terror as well.

Years, hundreds of books, and many writing assignments later I find myself here in the life I have helped mold and create, sometimes by design, and sometimes influenced by outside forces one cannot control. As the title of this blog suggests, yes I am a full-time fire fighter and paramedic. My bachelors degree is in Geography/Anthropology, and I am completing my masters in American New England Studies. My time as a student is coming to a close, and as a result I begin my thesis- which in itself is bittersweet. I am an aspiring writer, and continue to put pen to paper, and fingers to keyboard to hone my skills.

My degrees are important to me, and the topics which I have studied over the years will directly link to many themes on this site. My current thesis is on the Hipster Subculture of Portland, Maine, and because of this you will notice a self-reflexive trend on research and writing.

I live in Southern Maine and am originally from Long Island, New York. Sometime I may lament about the sand beaches of Long Island, and the wonderful temperate weather. On the whole I love Maine, and it is my home; although I was told, I will never be a Mainer, and will always be a Long Islander, but hey, you can’t have everything in life.