A few of my favorite essays

2021-08-06

Farm roads

I grew up on a gravel road, and that’s still my favorite kind of road, and my favorite kind of landscape

2020-06-23

Aspects of backpacking, rated

For much of my 20s many of my jobs looked suspiciously like backpacking and I lived for weeks or months at a time in tents....

2020-06-13

All my interactions with cops

When I was probably 7 or 8 years old, a dog attacked me and bit me in the ass. A sheriff’s deputy took pictures of...

2019-03-27

Five miles

Human beings are machines designed to walk.

2019-03-15

Imagining and building

There always comes a point where I can’t finish “designing” something in my head. I have to start building it to find the edges.

2019-02-15

Trolling Works

Every three or four years I’ll kick a hornet’s nest by saying something like: fellow front-end devs: if you ever feel intimidated by your back-end...

2018-08-16

Reality TV

Discerning whether something is real or a fantasy is no longer a salient problem for daily existence.

2017-07-26

Right and Wrong

Pondering the distinction between being right (correct) and right (moral).

2015-05-01

Grooves

Over the last four years I wore a literal groove into the gravel behind the bleachers at the Lewis and Clark baseball diamond.

2014-11-18

You’re a Good Man

About twelve years ago, in the middle of my divorce, my father paid me the greatest compliment I have ever been given.

2014-03-17

Etiquette for stranded cyclists

Scenario: a bike is broken down. Probably a flat tire. Bike and cyclist are on the roadside and might need a little help…

2011-08-17

Golf to work

I like my commute so much I make it longer, and do it on the weekends

2009-12-31

Last Post of the Decade

I don't know anyone who says anything other than “good riddance” to the first decade of the 21st century.

2008-07-11

Technique and Technology

You can use a Swiss Army knife to cut your fingernails in two different ways: with the scissors, or with the knife blade.

2007-07-03

再见

In the last 24 hours the feeling finally hit us: OK, we're actually leaving.

2006-08-09

Arrival: Xiamen

After about 25 hours of transit we are finally in Xiamen. Flights were all smooth, after a delayed departure from Portland. The delay actually worked...

2005-08-30

The Champ

1990 Honda Civic, Runs, Sort of - $250 (SW Portland) Reply to: anon-xxxxxxxxx@craigslist.orgDate: 2005-07-24, 6:47PM PDT This is a Champagne (transl: “Gold”) 1990 Honda Civic...

2005-03-18

Ten Human Universals

As I Learned Them from Seven Years of Anthropology Classes Who you consider a “family member” is closely correlated with the list of individuals in...

2002-05-05

Day 7: Distance

The last day of the most consequential bike ride of my life

2002-03-13

This is My Cathedral

The squall of March rain arrives like an announcement, travelling a patient course, propelled by 8000 miles of Pacific Ocean. I hear it crawling eastward...

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