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From engineering structures to sentence structure

Wildfires in central Washington make for a spectacular sunset over Spokane, Wash. on Friday evening, Aug. 1, 2008, as the sun tries to burn through the smoke plume of thousands of acres that have burned over the past few days. (Christopher Anderson / The Spokesman-Review)
Catherine Johnston

Our Boomer generation has been busy about seeking new adventures as we age.

Meet Kathleen Flenniken , 51, a former  Hanford engineer, turned poet. Washington state’s poet laureate, 2012-2014, that is.

Flenniken earned engineering degrees from WSU in 1983 and from the University of Washington. She earned a master’s degree in fine arts from Pacific Lutheran University.

She took a poetry class in 1993 as a way to get out of her house in the evening, to challenge herself.

Her first book of poetry titled “Famous” won the Prairie Schooner Book Prize. Her second book of poetry – “Plume” – will be released later this month.

Flenniken’s new vocation reminds us to take chances, explore our interests and not limit our talents.

What interest would you love to explore, what secret talent or passion do you long to nurture?

(S-R archives photo)

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "EndNotes." Read all stories from this blog