Today, I treat you to a favorite poem by Mark Strand, “Keeping Things Whole.” It goes everywhere with me in the pocket of my writer’s notebook. It’s mostly memorized. I still remember where I was sitting when I first read … Read more

Dying sucks. And saying, “dying sucks” is a way of trivializing my terror. Because I am really, really afraid of dying. Also, I would prefer for all my loved ones to continue to live. I recognize that this goes against … Read more

Q: How do you eat an elephant?

A: One bite at a time?

Okay, so I chose a cartoon elephant for my post image because, obviously, none of us are actually interested in eating elephants. I mean, come on–tough gray … Read more

Last week I went to mail a single book at the post office. The Automated Postal thingie in the lobby was on the fritz, and little Liam and I ended up waiting in line for about forty-five minutes. A lot … Read more

“Every writer worth reading offers us the gift of self.” –John Lienhard, Engines of Our Ingenuity, episode 1047

John Lienhard is the voice and writer behind Houston Public Radio’s technology and science program. In this episode, he’s speaking of the … Read more

“We all choose things, and we also choose against things. I want to be the kind of person who chooses for more than chooses against.”

–Alex, from Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer (page 241)

It’s been some … Read more