President Clinton and Robert Furlong at Harvard University
About
furlong – noun, fûr′ lông, from 9th century Old English furlang, length of a furrow
The word “furlong” derives from the Old English words furh (furrow) and lang (long) and describes the distance a team of oxen could plow without resting. The system of long furrows arose because turning a team of oxen pulling a heavy plow was difficult. A furlong is equal to 220 yards (201 m) or 1/8 mile (0.2 km). The unit is seldom used today, with the notable exception of measurements in horse racing.
After graduating university in 1990 with a degree in English and a desire to write, I began working as a freelance journalist for several Boston and U.S. publications and thoroughly enjoyed the people and places I wrote about. But after ten years, it became clear that the rigors of freelancing were going to become even more trying with the growth of the Internet and the ever impending death of the newspaper.
Still wanting to work with words but in a different setting and context, I came to Berlin in 2003 and established myself as a proofreader and copy editor for some of Germany’s and Europe’s most renowned corporations and non-profit institutes. I feel fortunate to be able to work on topical materials that often reach an international audience and help shape perspectives on international affairs and global business practices. But most of all, I enjoy putting my English degree and writing experience to good use, never tiring of attempting to perfect that most imperfect of languages … one comma at a time.
Education
| University | University of Massachusetts |
| Degree Major | Bachelor of Arts – 1990 English Language and Literature |
| Minors | Philosophy German Language and Literature |
| Distinctions | Magna Cum Laude Honors Curriculum |
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