I began my career in journalism in the mid-1990s when I needed some English courses to add some cohesiveness to my educational background. I wasn't shooting for a degree, My English 101 prof convinced me to take a journalism course and write for the school newspaper. They needed some warm bodies. When our home was damaged by a tornado in 1996 and I had to write something which seemed to be the panacea for my bad dreams. I offered the story to the local paper...then another story. The editor asked if I'd like to cover a council story in a town where they'd yet to break into news coverage. I asked when. She said that night. I've never looked back. I freelanced for a couple years then was hired as a reporter in another county. That lasted two years until the manager decided downsizing was in his best interest - last to come, first to go. A few weeks later I was hired as a news editor in Austin Minnesota, a year later as a copy editor in Bedford, Pennsylvania, Four years later, I moved back to Minnesota and freelanced for a few months before I was asked to fill an editorial position in a weekly. I was there nine years and "retired." PicK News came to life in 2016.