Our lives become a summary of our decisions: the actions we take (or don’t take) that make us who we are.

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‘Time after time’
My dog is 42, but could still pass for 30. Life in seven year increments, a year at a time. Cork screwing the side of Cougar Mountain, past the Klondike marsh through the damp forest thinking about Orin Smith, former… Read More ›
“Life Before Fabric Softener” (a memoir)
Interrupting my journal-in-Germany series today with an excerpt from my new, to-be written memoir “Life Before Fabric Softener.” It starts on the 20-year anniversary of my first extended stay in Europe, in the south of France. December, 1997 Capitol Hill,… Read More ›
“Learning to see in the dark”
Wednesday, “Mittwoch,” the day in Germany the Schwäbische say couples have sex (which gives new meaning to the phrase hump day). In bed by 8 o’clock and up by 5, early morning walk to the lake, it’s just me and… Read More ›
The day I turned purple (ghost theme) | Field notes from the Pacific coast
This is a series of posts I started in late May and plan to continue for 40 days, with a goal of hitting 50,000 words by July 5 (this marks the end of “week 4!”). It’s inspired by a three-day… Read More ›
You have to learn the lesson twice | Field notes from the Pacific coast
This is a series of posts I started in late May and plan to continue for 40 days, with a goal of hitting 50,000 words by July 5 (Day 28!). It’s inspired by a three-day solo trek on the Washington… Read More ›
The Cascadian fault | Field notes from the Pacific coast
This is a series of posts I started in late May and plan to continue for 40 days, with a goal of hitting 50,000 words by July 5 (Day 27!). It’s inspired by a three-day solo trek on the Washington… Read More ›
Existential work theme | Field notes from the Pacific coast
This is a series of posts I started in late May and plan to continue for 40 days, with a goal of hitting 50,000 words by July 5. It’s inspired by a three-day solo trek on the Washington coast, with… Read More ›
“Hang on to yourself” (the faith, identity theme)
Half-way complete today! This is a series of posts I started in late May and plan to continue for 40 days, with a goal of hitting 50,000 words by July 5. It’s inspired by a three-day solo trek on the… Read More ›
The jet hold | Field notes from the Pacific coast
I climbed the webby trail to the established sites at Mosquito Creek in search of the pit toilet. I asked two guys I’d seen at the big rock, by the overland trail: they said it’s easy to find, there’s a… Read More ›