As my audiobook library continues to grow, even since my last post (Part 1 of the 10 books that changed my life), it gets harder and harder to narrow the list to the most game-changing books I’ve ever read. But …
10 books that changed my life — permanently and for the better [part 1]
Audiobooks have been a game-changer for me. I opened my Audible account in 2013, and I‘ve never looked back. For me, it’s much easier to listen to books as I’m commuting to work or eating lunch, rather than trying to …
The Chronophone: What I would say to Teenage Me
A few years ago, while packing up my garage to prepare for moving to a new house, I ran across a relic from my past. It was tucked in a forgotten box in the garage, between some obsolete computer cables …
The power of letting go
We all know this famous question. It’s a Zen kōan, a paradoxical riddle designed to open your mind. Another famous one is, “What’s the sound of one hand clapping?” And here’s my favorite kōan: “When you climb to the top …
Today, Thanksgiving 2021, marks 6 months, alcohol-free
My relationship with alcohol has been…complicated. My first drink was when I was 22 years old. I had been taught as a kid that alcohol was dangerous, a tool of the devil. I didn’t really care for it at first. …
Who I am now
The calendar tells me I haven’t written a blog post in exactly three years. It’s not that I haven’t been writing. I write almost every day, and I’m nearing the completion of a memoir. Writing the memoir has been a …
A strange case of déjà vu, a road trip, and something I shouldn’t have known
Three summers ago, my friend Kevin and I were on a road trip (our 16th together), heading north from Salt Lake City toward Yellowstone. It was a sunny late morning in June and we were taking our time, leisurely winding …
When we truly learn to see, there is beauty in everything
Are mundane objects really art in disguise? Is everything? I found a fascinating video this morning on Aeon, one of my favorite online magazines, which covers everything from psychology to philosophy to art. Memo Akten is a Turkish visual artist …
Tomorrow I get married
And of course, I’m feeling all the feelings: Nervous, excited, blessed, scared, lucky, anxious, overwhelmed, vulnerable, proud, happy. Even a little resentful of losing my freedom. Mostly, though, what I feel is that this is where and when and how …
What have we lost when we’ve lost the night?
Last year, Linda planned a surprise trip for the two of us to Dripping Springs, a small historic town in the heart of Texas Hill Country. The occasion was my 50th birthday, but I chose to ignore the fact that …