At 7:30, all the children are waiting at the corner bus stops. Some of them are with their parents and their dogs. I have to be mindful of this on my morning walks with Kimbrough. I want our walks to be peaceful, and our interruptions to be minor (stop to sniff some pee here, stare…
Constant Acts of Self-Interpretation
Yesterday, my chest heavy and my head dull from the beer the night before, I moved slowly through the morning. My voice was scratchy and deep from loud-talking over the music. I met two strangers, TJ and Rachel, who are both regulars at the bar. We talked about things… the local music scene, the cops…
Why So Serious?
A few days ago, the morning walk started off deep in thought – mostly about work and philanthropy and trying to “solve” issues like poverty. By the end of the walk, the thoughts had subtly migrated to the benefits of being connected to others. I was trying to expand on one of my favorite quotes…
In the Presence of Company
There’s a bird outside chirping her little head off “chew-eee chew-eee chew-eee chew-eee.” Three, four, five times in a row. My dad sits at the dining room table with his glasses off squinting at his phone. His spoon clanks against the sides and bottom of the cereal bowl – Cheerios and fruit. I’m on the…
3 AM
The dog shakes his head and in that moment, the sound of his ears flapping combined with the slight jangle of his collar seems like the most distinct sound in the world. It’s 3:24 in the morning when he does this. Now, half-an-hour later, I’m still up. I don’t want to be up. I rolled…
A Break from the Routine
Monday, 2:14 AM. That’s when my phone buzzed with an email from MyAnalytics – a type of productivity software that seems to be tied in with my Microsoft Office account. The tagline under the logo reads “Discover your habits. Work smarter.” I can’t imagine that waking me up in the middle of the night (I…
In the Cool Light of Morning
I can see my breath in the morning chill. The temperatures are in the upper 40s and I’m thinking about how I’m not ready for the cold. I’ve already noticed how much less time in the light I have for things like dog walks, trips to the park, and runs. Oddly, when I think about…
Small Thoughts, Shorter Days
9-20-21The few wisps of clouds in the early morning sky are painted cotton candy pink. The full light of day hasn’t quite reached the ground yet. I’m putting off walking the dog or getting ready – though I’ve already built my to-do list a few times in my head. I sit at the dining room…
The Grump
This was last weekend… It’s sunny and mostly clear—mid-sixties on a Sunday morning. The sky is a cloudless, powdery bluish-white. Because yesterday and today have been, and are, a mix of emotions for a lot of different reasons, I’m a little stuck on what to write and feeling wholly inadequate about it. Yesterday morning, I…
Summer’s End
There’s a man on the roof of my neighbor’s house. He’s pulling up shingles and nails. To do this, he uses a tool that looks a little like a spade. He slides it under the shingles and pries them up. I can hear the scrape and thud as it slides under and then stops short…
Why I’m More of a Cat Person
Almost a half of a year together with my dog, and I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m more of a cat person than I am a dog person. I feel a little bad saying that, but it’s true. Compared to cats, dogs are ridiculously high-maintenance. Sure, they do some goofy and funny things and…
In Search of a Subject
“Where your next chapter begins.” That was the subject line of Lisa’s email from Hawk Ranch. Her email continued: “Picture yourself among a cluster of trees that sway gently in the breeze. Look past the lush, green backdrop to our beautiful pond….” Reading this opening, I’m left questioning the effectiveness of an email marketing campaign…