You have been in the music business, in one way or another, for over four decades now. How did your self-produced, self-arranged, and self-written instrumental album, "Music For Romantic Dreamers" come about? I personally have had anxiety problems for a good part of my life. It has kept me from going many places I would like to have gone. I tried, in the making of this CD, to bring some of those places to life for listeners who also may not be able to visit them easily. I wanted to make it so that listeners could "close their eyes" and feel that he, or she, was actually in the place or atmosphere depicted by each musical selection. In 1985 I was diagnosed as having contracted infectious mononucleosis, a very debilitating illness, for the second time as an adult, which was not welcome news (to say the least). I am told that as we grow older, this illness becomes harder to overcome. It is sometimes referred to as the Epstein-Barr illness. This progressed into what is now termed Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Since my activities were very limited, and I didn't want to give up the music that was so much a part of me, I continued to work in my home little by little. It took several years of work to come up with a method of recording in which sounds and combinations I had programmed and edited, possibly hundreds of times, were put into use. Since I was unable to work in a commercial recording studio because of my illness, I built a small studio in my home so I could continue to work at my own pace. What is Chronic Fatigue/Fibromyalgia Syndrome and how did it affect your own creative process? Chronic Fatigue / Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a painful and fatiguing illness, I have always detested the term "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome". The word "syndrome", in my opinion, makes it sound like a general housewife's complaint of just being "tired all the time" and thus many doctors refuse to recognize it as a legitimate illness. In Canada and England it is called myalgic encephalomyelitis or "ME".

To me, this terminology helps to make the illness sound as legitimate as it really is. It gives it a definite name and I wish that it were used here in the United States. I think giving it a more appropriate name, i.e. a recognizable medical term, would be most helpful to those who suffer from it. I found that working at the music helped to keep my mind off of the pain and discomfort. It also gave me a purpose. I think it is very important for everyone to have some sort of goal to work towards in life, and I feel it's especially important for those who are afflicted with a debilitating illness, if at all possible. Having something to do and look forward to helps combat the depression that comes so very often with a chronic illness. A goal or purpose also helps to give a person a positive attitude. This is so helpful in the healing process. In other words, you don't sit around and dwell on your misfortune. What advice would you give to others suffering from the same disease? Although work helps to keep ones mind off of his or her discomfort, I would advise anyone with this particular illness to learn to pace themselves. Quite often as I worked I would fail to realize how much energy and effort I was putting out. I would be so entranced by the creative process that I just didn't feel the pain sometimes. This would lead to a setback of several days and sometimes longer. This seems to be a common occurrence for people with the CFS/Fibromyalgia Syndrome. If you push too hard you pay for it in the following days, and it is very hard at times to realize that you are, in fact, pushing it. So, learning your own limits is, I feel, especially important. My overall experience with this illness is that you need to walk a fine line. Some moderate exercise is needed to keep the muscles of your body working properly, you also need to get plenty of rest, have a goal of some sort to keep the mind occupied and avoid overdoing it, as stated previously. I understand that certain kinds of music can help both relax and invigorate those afflicted with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Do you have any feedback from others who have experienced this with your music? Yes, I have heard from others who say that my CD, "Music For Romantic Dreamers," has made a difference in their lives. I have had a number of compliments on it. One lady from the Pacific Northwest says it helps her to relax and recuperate faster from the effects of Fibromyalgia Syndrome. She also stated that my other CD, "The Way I Hear It," has helped lift her mood and enable her to work better. To me, "Music For Romantic Dreamers" is a relaxing escape from the rigors of everyday life. In any case, that is what I aimed for, and if any enjoyment can be found in it by others, that would make me very happy, indeed. If it offers help to anyone in escaping from the effects of Fibromyalgia then everything I've done will be well worth it.