About Sheila Buska
Sheila Buska, author of TIME OUTS for GROWNUPS: 5 Minute SmileBreaks, has taken a detour from fifteen years of writing weekly humor columns to introduce us to her disabled son and his unique approach to life in her most recent book, Paul's World. Sheila and Paul live together in El Cajon, California, with her daughter, Christy, and Christy's dog, Rocco. Her two other sons, Bryan and Craig, live nearby with their families. While raising her four children with her husband, Rol, Sheila earned a BS in accounting from San Diego State University. She worked as a controller for twentyfive years before retiring and did freelance writing on the side. Her feature articles in the San Diego UnionTribune, American Profile Magazine, and other publications are upbeat stories about interesting people and events. Sheila's optimistic, cando approach to life serves her well in supporting her son Paul. For Sheila, the sign in her bedroom sums it all up: “Happiness is a way of life.”
Humor columnist and freelance writer:
"Up Against It," is a wry but upbeat commentary on daily life that currently runs weekly in The East County Herald and has been appearing in newspapers since 1997. Formerly appearing as"Smile-breaks," Sheila's columns have been published in:
The Espresso
Del Mar Village Voice
San Diego County Herald News
Rancho Bernardo Sun
Rancho Santa Fe Review
The Daily Californian
Diamond Gateway SignatureCarmel Valley News
Sedona Excentric Update
Solana Beach Sun
Hillcrest News
Del Mar Times
Menopause Humor
Sheila's other publishing credits include numerous feature articles and op-ed pieces in:
The San Diego Union-Tribune
American Profile Magazine
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteSan Diego Seniors
The Daily Californian
The Columnist
Erma Bombeck Writers Competition Judge: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009
National Society of Newspaper Columnists:
Board of Directors - Membership Chair, 2006/2007
Web Editor 2005/2006
Interim Editor, The Columnist newsletter, Spring 2005 & Summer 2005
Personal
Sheila loves life and all its frustrations - especially all its frustrations! That's what we share and laugh about. That's how we come together. Sheila says, "Don't sweat the small stuff - laugh about it!"
Born: Brewer, Maine, in a year long since forgotten
Grew up in the small college town of Orono Maine; moved to San Diego as a teenager
Currently living: El Cajon, California - San Diego County
Family: four children, seven grandchildren and one husband, recently deceased
Loves: freeway driving, speaking, loud music, traveling, banana splits and people
Education
B.S., Accounting, Magna cum Laude, San Diego State University - 1984
A.A., Liberal Arts, University of San Diego - 1959