Bio Sketch

About Julie Borel

I was born in Washington, DC, in 1947, and grew up in the surrounding area in Virginia. After graduating from high school in 1964, I attended the "family" college, i.e., the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, and graduated in 1968 with a B.S. in journalism.

Flower Child Days

Several months later, I moved to San Francisco, where I worked as a waitress at the Orion coffee house. It was a great, fun place to work, run by two terrific German fellows named Fred and Wolfgang.

Of course, I didn't make much money working there. You see, I worked solely for tips, and most of the customers would leave me flowers, joints, brownies, etc., instead of cold hard cash.

However, I did manage to get by and I certainly enjoyed living in that fine and exciting city.

In the early 1970s, I traveled the country in my VW bus, working various odd jobs (including being a bus driver for Head Start and a barker on the midway at the Texas State Fair).

Here I am during a break from my job working a booth on the midway.


Backpacking Through Europe

I also hitchhiked through Europe for six months. Below is a photo of me on the sunroof of an Athens pensione in 1972.

During that adventure, I also lived in a cave for a month on the Greek island of Ios. It wasn’t really a "proper" cave - more of a protected outcropping with a half-wall in front that had been built by a goatherd.

It was big enough for my sleeping bag, backpack, and campfire, but I could not stand up in it.

But it was free and saved me the expense of paying $1.00 a day to stay in the "hotel" (I use the term loosely) on the nearby beach.

Upon my return to the USA, I began skydiving, making 319 jumps in all. I was a member of the Pelican Skydivers and made most of my skydives at the little airfield we called Pelicanland in Ridgely, Maryland.

I was on two "relative work" teams. Relative work is when a bunch of skydivers exit the airplane at the same time at high altitude and make formations while in freefall before pulling their ripcords.

One team I was on was a 4-man (or "4-way") team and the other was a 10-way team.

The 4-way team was named "FUBAR." Here is a photo of me and my FUBAR cohorts from the mid 1970s.



Law School and Marathon

In 1980, I moved back to Lawrence, Kansas, and began attending law school at the University of Kansas in 1981.

During those three years, I decided to run a marathon. In 1983, I successfully completed the Wichita Marathon.


Still Searching for Balance and Fulfillment

Since graduating from law school in 1984, I have been living in Kansas City, Missouri. I enjoyed many aspects of being an attorney, but all in all, it really wasn't what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

I was restless and filled with wanderlust and I longed for adventure!

I quit practicing law in the 1990s to travel more and to spend more time working on arts and crafts projects and other creative pursuits.

I was happy as a clam for a brief and shining moment, but, alas, I had no source of income so eventually I needed to return to gainful employment.

You see, I was spending all my time creating (which I love to do) and no time on marketing (which I hate to do and am lousy at). So, alas, I had to return to a "real job."

For a while I worked as a home health aide, which I found tremendously rewarding. It didn't pay all that great, but I really got a lot of satisfaction from feeling I was doing something worthwhile. I drove from house to house too, so I wasn’t stuck in an office all day! (How I loathe that!)

I also have done volunteer work at a nearby geriatric center and have served as a mentor with high school students who need help with their reading skills.

Eventually, I started doing some high level paralegal work in long-term temporary positions, which paid pretty decently and still allowed me a lot of freedom. (I just hate feeling trapped!)

In 2000, I began working full-time as a research analyst for large law firm and I remained there for five years. I was able to really sock away some retirement savings as a result of that stint.


Semi-retirement - and Freedom!

In 2005, I left that position and have remained semi-retired since then.

At present, I have a great arrangement – a long-term, part-time, temp position as a contract attorney with very flexible hours. I make enough money to be comfortable and I have lots of free time. It is working out great.

I have been able to do a lot of traveling, including a 10-day trip to Argentina in 2006. Here is a photo of a llama kissing me in Buenos Aires!

I have learned from experience that I enjoy my creative endeavors a great deal more when I feel no pressure to produce and sell. I also have no interest whatsoever in marketing. That's just the way I am. I make stuff for the pure joy the creative process gives my soul.

That is why I am not selling my crafts or artwork on this website. What I DO want to do - so very much - is to share my enthusiasm with you and to inspire you to indulge your own creative spark as often as you possibly can! If I succeed in doing that, I will consider myself very successful indeed.