Writing Thoughts
Diary of a Novel: June 18…
Life is weird. Sometimes it's weird in ways that make you feel like you can barely stand up under the weight of it. And then sometimes it's weird in ways that lift you up and feel a little bit like flying. I should have been almost … Read More >>
Madison Monday
Preserving Places: The Coffee…
This is roughly the speech I gave on Friday at Preserving Places: Indiana's Statewide Historic Preservation Conference in lovely Wabash, Indiana. Great conference and a great town. I was so impressed with all the amazing things … Read More >>
Family Thoughts
Week of Winter Walking: Day Seven
As promised, Day Seven in my Week of Winter Walking takes us to sunnier climates, where my mom and dad are walking the beaches of Sanibel Island, Florida. Most years, I'm down there with them, but due to irreconcilable differences in spring break schedules (our … Read More >>
Nature Thoughts
What I cooked in June
June is the month of waiting in the garden, at least for me. The show-stoppers of summer vegetables--tomatoes and sweet corn--have largely not yet arrived. I spend a lot of time pacing the garden, looking for signs of the first ripe tomato. In the meantime, there's … Read More >>
Sociological Thoughts
Sociological fatigue
I’ve been teaching sociology for over ten years now, mostly in the same place, and I think it’s okay to admit at this point that I am tired. Which is not to say that I’m quite ready to go find something else to do, but tired enough to ask, what is it exactly that … Read More >>
Pop Culture Thoughts
What I love about Stranger Things
Jeff and I finished watching the new Netflix series, Stranger Things, on Thursday night, giving me plenty of time to reflect on the show and mourn that it's over (at least for now). Here's a list of some of the things I loved about this show: The music, of … Read More >>
Random Thoughts
The Great Macaron Experiment: Prologue
So there's life before you've tasted a macaron and life after you've tasted a macaron. I discovered this last November in Savannah, which seems an entirely appropriate place to cross the great macaron divide. I had heard talk of macarons, mostly from folks in big … Read More >>
Writing Thoughts
Diary of a Novel: June 5
Life changes so fast. Nothing stays the same. As a Buddhist, this is one of the keys to happiness. We must contemplate impermanence. That person you're angry at right now? Ask yourself where you'll both be in 300 years. Dust. You'll both be dust. Sooner than that, … Read More >>
Madison Monday
Madison Monday: sleeping with the windows open
It really shouldn’t be warm enough in March to sleep with the windows open, but it is. Over the winter, you get used to hearing nothing more than the soft whooshing noise the heating system makes when it kicks on. In the winter, we live sealed off from the world. … Read More >>
Most Recent Posts
Diary of a Novel: June 18
Life is weird. Sometimes it's weird in ways that make you feel like you can barely stand up under the weight of it. And then sometimes it's weird in … Read More >>
Diary of a Novel: June 5
Life changes so fast. Nothing stays the same. As a Buddhist, this is one of the keys to happiness. We must contemplate impermanence. That person … Read More >>
Diary of a Novel: June 1
I've never been a writer who talks a whole lot about the process of writing. Maybe that's because I don't have a local writing community. I have lots … Read More >>
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