Scottish by birth and American on purpose.
I grew up in a small Scottish village called Holytown. Given the name, you might think Holytown is a religious site. A place where miracles can happen. But It’s just a regular blue-collar community. Although, there have been many unsubstantiated claims of virgin births over the years.
The history of Holytown, or Baile ´a Chuilinn in Gaelic, dates back to the 18th century when the village was purpose-built for coal miners and their families. At that time, the surrounding area was rich with coal seams. But by the time I was born, the coal was gone, and the mines were silent. As I grew up, the silence extended into the steel mills and the remaining industries.
Once I finished my education, I escaped to California and settled in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a research scientist, I worked on molecular and cellular systems for nearly thirty years. However, during the COVID lockdown, I decided I’d done enough of that stuff. Since then, I’ve spent my time traveling, writing, and trying to take better photographs.