Ken's Life Outside Work
As much as I like writing, I don't do much of it on my own time. Instead, I dabble in a variety of creative, constructive, and relaxing interests.
I play bass and five-string banjo in an occasionally-gigging Celtic/Americana band. Before a three-year relocation to Brooklyn from 2013-2016, I had also played banjo in a fairly active bluegrass band and bass in a boomer rock trio that practiced more than we played out. In New York, instead of playing in bands I became an active participant in the acoustic jam scene. An incurable tinkerer, I dabble in my own stringed instrument repair — with mixed results. I'm even attempting to build a banjo from a hunk of wood.
Weather permitting, my weekends are often spent keeping up with our Victorian era house and tremendous yard.
During the first 20 years of my freelance career, I was often invited to speak on the business of freelancing and creative self-employment. I participated in panels, workshops and seminars put on by Smithsonian Associates, Washington Independent Writers and the Creative Club of Albany.
In the 1980s, I performed close-up magic at restaurants in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Now that you've read this far, here's what I should have told you earlier on the site: I retired as of 2018.My wife Linda, a former journalist, is also retired. For many years she was a personal finance columnist for Reuters and contributing editor at Newsweek. She retired as Reuters financial regulation editor.
My grown son and daughter are making their own ways in the world.