During our trip to Santa Fe last week, we took a day trip to Abiquiu, where we had some excellent green chile cheeseburgers at Body’s, and then drove on up to the Ghost Ranch, and then further north, to Chama. The latter is a nice little town that seems to specialize in tourism, but...
The Land Of Enchantment
Maybe it’s just the intoxicated feeling caused by the lack of oxygen at 7,500 feet. Or maybe it’s the universal friendliness of the people. Maybe it’s the rich history—both human and geological—of the land. Maybe it’s the mystical undercurrent of spirituality from the region’s many Native American tribes. Whatever it is, New Mexico has...
The 2003 Chicago Marathon
Eight years ago this morning, I took part in the Chicago Marathon. It was my first — and so far only — attempt at the marathon. Here is my mile-by-mile account of it, written a day or so later. To set it up, this was written for the “V-Team” bulletin board, which was made...
Starved Rock
A week and a half ago, after dropping Jim off at Elmhurst College, I had the opportunity to visit Starved Rock State Park. I’d driven past the exit for the park dozens of times—it’s on the way between St. Louis and where several members of Jean’s family live in Northern Illinois—but we’ve never taken...
Gluttony & Sloth
I set a personal record this morning. For several years now, I’ve been irregularly keeping track of my weight. When I think of it, I weigh myself. And when I think of it again, I jot down the number in a file in my gmail “drafts” folder. That file goes back more than four...
I Know Where The Google Street View Car Is
I’ve now seen the Google Street View Car twice. This picture was taken the first time, a couple of years ago. That’s me in the red shirt, with my camera backpack and, in my right hand, a sandwich from Jimmy John’s. It was almost certainly a Friday. I saw the car again a couple...
Half A Year With The iPad
Six months ago today, Jean gave me an iPad for Christmas. It’s barely been out of my sight since. (And yes, that means that today marks the halfway point to NEXT Christmas, meaning we’ll start seeing those holiday ads in just a few weeks. Almost time to put those lights up on the house!)...
Public Speaking
A few weeks ago, I got a call from Bob P., the director of the Port of Tulsa (yes, Tulsa, Okla., has a thriving port). They were having a navigation conference, he said. I was getting ready to say “Sure, we’ll have someone there to cover it,” when he continued, “…and I wonder if...
That One Was Just “Spiritual”
What a relief. Turns out we still have five months to go before the end of the world. Harold Camping, who got us all excited thinking last Saturday would be the end, now says May 21 was just a “spiritual” Judgment Day, and the real apocalypse will come October 21. Camping relied on some...
The Great Escape
So often, it turns out so badly for these guys: You see them running on the field, and you know they’re about to be swarmed by several oversized security guys, slammed to the ground, and paraded off the field for the entertainment of the jeering crowd. This guy, though, had some different ideas....