Patricia Bel:  

Life Graduated Mercy Academy 1974, went to Ga Tech 1974-80, co-oped the last 2 years at SRRC in New Orleans. Worked summer after graduation for Kinberly clark in Atlanta, then 2 years with Burlington in Virginia as a process engineer, minimizing energy waste in a dyehouse. Came back home to New Orleans in 1982. bought my first house, an old victorian, renovateded it. Married at 32 (short - 18 months-and bad marriage - must have been my biological alarm clock going off to pick him, lol). 2nd marriage at 36 to Kenny Berger- wonderful guy, moved to the lakefront. Great marriage until he turned 50 - classic midlife crisis. He got the 25 yr old, I got a Porsche, two sweet puppies (see now picture) and put in a pool. Can't let life get you down, just find a way to make it better. I guess I got the better end of the deal Still friends, but life goes on- meanwhile I've finished my Ph.D inAg. Engineering,specializing in Textile Engineering from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia- a Research degree - in summary -predicting fabric defects from cotton bale fiber data using high speed measurement systems. I got the email the week after Katrina that I'd completed all of the requirements, (I really needed some good news then too!). My house is on the 17th St canal and was flooded to the ceiling, pretty much a total loss. I ended up in Austin for the better part of a year (great place, Keep it wierd, Austin!) So now I'm back in tNew Orleans living in my rebuilt guest house with my two dogs, and really good news, the pool's working again. Dot had bone cancer and did well thru the surgery and chemo, but 6 months later it's looking like it might be bac...Expand for more