Here's an old column I wrote more than fifteen years ago. Some references are dated. When a friend in college told me that I had an addictive personality, I took it as an affront. Why shouldn’t I? The implication was that I was somehow abnormal or… I’m not exactly sure, but it was negative. He... Continue Reading →
If you read one thing today… George Saunders’ Commencement Speech at Syracuse University for the Class of 2013
George Saunders touches on regret and the importance of kindness in an address to graduates a few years ago, but sometimes I think this speech is more appropriate at the beginning of the school year or just about anytime really. There's a link at the end to read the whole speech, but here's a little... Continue Reading →
The End of Summer
I recently took a trip to Portland to see some old friends. I guess that’s the gist of my trips these days. I’m not really looking for new adventures, I’m just looking to keep those old relationships. Maybe I’m doing it wrong but I can live with that for the time being. I didn’t do... Continue Reading →
If you read one thing today… Time and Again by Breece D’J Pancake
"...I think I am getting too old to do this anymore. I wish I could rest and watch my hogs get old and die. When the last one is close to dying, I will feed him his best meal and leave the gate open. But that will most likely not happen, because I know this... Continue Reading →
If you read one thing today… The Soul of Barbecue is Being Reimagined in Charleston by Danny Chau
"Barbecue is a process of coaxing out secrets; barbecue is a romance. It requires patience and commitment, which over time reveal patterns and rhythms. A brisket will dance for you when it feels like it — and only when it feels like it. Its undulations are a sign that conditions are exactly right. That it’s done. In... Continue Reading →
How I Became… A Springsteen Fan
It was the summer of 1998 and I was back home from college. One of my good friends, Phil, was back as well from the Army. This already starts off sounding like a Springsteen song. We had a Marine friend, Ian, who lived up in Sacramento about two hours north of us. Ian said he... Continue Reading →
The Time Machine
The Powerball is thirteen and I watch the guys in the bar clutch their tickets. They’re anxious for Laurie to scan their numbers but I don’t care. I sip the rest of my gin. It’s down to the dregs. Just melted ice and lime with a whiff of its piney scent. “Hold your horses!” Laurie... Continue Reading →
I’m Back
After almost a two-year hiatus I'm ready to get this thing rolling again. I'll be providing literary content along with some musings and links to things I find amusing. That is probably not the best sentence I've ever written, but it rhymes so I'm going to ride with it. Lots of changes over the last... Continue Reading →
Welcome to Great Falls – A Serial Novel – Part 24
November 8, 2014, Saturday Kao pulled the tray of bacon out of the oven and set the strips on a paper towel. He breathed deep and slow to calm his still-pounding heart. Ten minutes went by fast on the treadmill when it wasn’t part of a required regimen. He actually stayed on for a couple... Continue Reading →
Mister Saechao 