I live in Livermore, California where I retired from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. I spent most of my time at the lab doing analytical work with the use of x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopes, electron micro-probes and petrographic microscopes.

I have been collecting sand for trading since 2000, but I started my collection in 1955. In 1999 I spoke to Rex Elliott, an ISCS member, from Grants Pass, Oregon and was informed about both the ISCS and SCI sand collecting groups. Since that conversation on the phone I joined both groups and my house has been sinking into the earth and I have no idea when it will stop. As of 2015 I have over 4500 samples. I have put sand discovery kits together for 12 schools to use as part of their geology studies, when the samples are looked at under a microscope the students see a new world emerge from the sand.

When I drive to collecting sites I collect about one quart of sand and when I fly, the sample amount is about two or three cups.