Article in Mental Floss: Famous Facial Reconstructions

Hurrah! I have a second article up in Mental Floss. This one is about forensic facial reconstruction, when they scan the skeletal remains of a famous historical person and make a 3D model of his or her face. For example,…

Article in Mental Floss

I am a fan of Mental Floss, so I’m thrilled that they are running an article I wrote … about stilts! In France in the 19th century, an entire town lived on stilts. Stilt jousting is a real thing—an entire…

White Whale

One often hears of writers that rise and swell with their subject, though it may seem but an ordinary one. How, then, with me, writing of this Leviathan? Unconsciously my chirography expands into placard capitals. Give me a condor’s quill!…

Raised Beds

Every year at this time, I get obsessed with gardening. I have a wonderful God-like moment in early spring where I feel like my yard is under control and I know what I’m doing, but experience had taught me that…

Bruce Willis Respects Himself

In the 1980s, Bruce Willis put out a couple of albums, which included this cover of Respect Yourself by the Staple Singers. Perhaps it was inspiration for Madonna’s “Express Yourself” two years later? Anyway, here’s the video of Bruce Willis…

I Took A Chance

From Margaret Atwood’s interview in The Paris Review: INTERVIEWER Has motherhood made you feel differently about yourself? ATWOOD There was a period in my early career that was determined by the images of women writers I was exposed to—women writers…

Mushroom Hunting

I went mushroom hunting. It was fancy mushroom hunting at a winery on top of a hill, and afterwards a chef made us a 3-course meal featuring local mushrooms. It has been a hot, dry spring, so there weren’t many…

Should You Be A Writer?

Everyone wants to be a professional writer! Or so it seems sometimes. In my life, it’s more unusual to come across someone who doesn’t want to write than someone who does. I love my job, but writing is very difficult.…

Shiloh Park Hike

The perfect hike, for me, is a loop. That way you don’t have to turn around and retrace your steps. You’re seeing new things the whole time. It’s sunny, but not hot. There’s no one else on the trail. You…