My passions: to enhance the learning experience of others, roses, multimedia, Apple Computers, visual geneology, and everything Dutch.

My addictions: learning new things through the use of technology.

I suffered serious injury to my spine as a result of gymnastic activities in my youth, waiting tables during college, and multiple automobile accidents over the past 20 years. I have had to adjust my working and leisure environment to accommodate my limitations brought on by Degenerative Disc Disease and Spondylolisthesis.

Over the years I have been a passionate user and student of Computers and Multimedia. But, I had to adjust my expectations of myself and what I was no longer capable of doing. In 1997 I was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis. I underwent my first spine surgery in 1999 and a second spine surgery in August 2001 consisting of Lumbar Lamenectomy, Bone Harvest and Fusion, with BakCage and Screws. But I continue to suffer from constant and restricting pain. After finally confirming that the 2001 surgery failed, I have been offered the option of another surgery to fix the last one.

I recognize that to keep active (as much as possible) is my best hope for recovery, or at least avoiding further decline. I continue to attempt learning new ways to participate in life and exercise my hobbies. So, I participate in a group of computer users, OMUG (Oceanside Macintosh Users Group) and share my learning and experience with technology — but, I don't do windows. ;-)

. . . Elizabeth