axoplasm / Favorites

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 cont’d

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.... cont’d

2019-03-27

Five miles

Human beings are machines designed to walk. cont’d

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. cont’d

2018-08-16

Reality TV

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

2018-05-18

I miss this dog toilet

Nostalgia is a dangerous impulse cont’d

2017-07-26

Right and Wrong

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

2016-02-21

It’s OK to do well while doing good

Everything you want to work on, work on it with both hands. cont’d

2015-08-06

I lied my way into this career

I reckon the statute of limitations is probably up on this lie. cont’d

2015-07-04

Eulogy for my father, Vernon Lee Souders, 1936 – 2014

Delivered at the Merna Community Cemetery, July 2nd, 2015 Dad was not a Churchy man and while he liked to discuss religion, he didn’t often... cont’d

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. cont’d

2014-11-30

Water + gravity + time

The dirt in my father’s blood cont’d

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. cont’d

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… cont’d

2013-09-17

Why I Ride (repost)

BECAUSE IT IS FUN cont’d

No matter how slow you go, you’re still lapping everyone on the sofa

2012-06-25

Why we race: a manifesto

Bicycles are a metaphor cont’d

2011-08-17

Golf to work

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

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. cont’d

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. cont’d

2008-06-18

I Used to Think About This All the Time

You can’t learn to plow by reading books cont’d

2008-04-21

I Used to Be an Archaeologist

Why I left, and what I miss cont’d

2007-07-03

再见

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

2007-02-26

Chinese Color Symbolism for Foreign Designers

Dear Honored Foreign Designer, The following is a guide to the use of color in Chinese graphic design. Unlike foreign color symbolism, in which colors... cont’d

2007-02-18

“Make your vacation your vocation”

I realized on this trip that I don’t particularly care for travel. For me this is a big admission, although in retrospect it’s kind of... cont’d

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... cont’d

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... cont’d

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... cont’d

2002-05-05

Day 7: Distance

The last day of the most consequential bike ride of my life cont’d

2002-04-22

A Perfect Machine

Describe a perfect machine cont’d

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... cont’d