“Don’t look-a-me, don’t laugh-a-me, don’t talk-a-me.” Continue reading The Level

I have written before about a belief that two important features of environments conducive to problem-solving are safety and encouragement, although I believe the absence of these does not need to prohibit productivity. More often than not, hindrances take the form not of an absence of protectors and nurturers, but of the presence of pretenders to these roles. Continue reading Rising

It’s seems so en vogue, in the podcast world today, to talk about how to avoid sugar spikes that would distort one’s sense of whether their digestive systems are properly sated. But I’m continuing to ponder the importance of avoiding emotional spikes, which would distort one’s sense of more substantive feelings of satisfaction. I love that Lex Fridman hosted ancient Roman historian Gregory Aldrete last … Continue reading Spikes

I’m not sure about you, reader, but, often, I wake up twice in the morning. The first time, often as early as 3 or 4, practically always feels as though it’s the real thing. Like being up at midnight the week I’ve just arrived in Asia, I get to work as if it were noon, because it may as well be. Based on experience, though, … Continue reading Peace

It struck me, today, listening to politicians express support for the cause of unions in celebration of the holiday because, as usual, I loved the words they uttered, even if they rang hollow. So many of the ideas and movements praised by the public figures who, arguably, actually work against them are worthy of the praise, in other words, making effective critique of message-bearers particularly … Continue reading Labor

This morning I had the privilege of observing not two, but five, Great Blue Herons congregated at the running trail waterfall; and I loved the way the sight underscored how these extraordinarily beautiful creatures always seem to locate themselves at such a specific spot so consistently. It’s easy to discount the significance of the path I tread practically every day for the way it always … Continue reading Placement

I’m not sure what inspired you today, reader, but I am still learning more about Course In Miracles at the moment, and I enjoyed today’s review/daily lesson. (Actually, I think technically 209 is for tomorrow.) Anyway, I loved the directive to take a moment to pray, “Father, we do not know the way to You. ²But we have called, and You have answered us. ³We … Continue reading Followers

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a fox run as fast for as far as I did today. Seemingly startled by a loud, but innocuous, truck engine, this normally confident neighbor made a beeline accelerated by its trajectory down a steep residential slope and off safe into a nearby gorge. After having seen with my own eyes how feared this beautiful but opportunistic this species … Continue reading The Hills

One of the first emails I received after news broke of President Biden’s decision to withdraw from this year’s presidential election and Kamala Harris’s likely role as his replacement focused, as many have, on her physical identity. Of course, and particularly because of the historic nature of the ceilings this impressive leader has already broken, this makes sense. But, even though I have almost always … Continue reading Admissions

For the past several days, I’ve found it remarkable how natural it has become, when checking the weather forecast before going running, to note it, yes, but to remember to let intuition govern instead when deciding when to actually head out. This has taken faith because, as occurred several days ago when rain was forecast practically all day long, I felt confident about proceeding anyway. … Continue reading Forecasts

For the first day in probably several weeks, I decided not to go for a long run this morning and, as right as I felt about taking a break, I’ve realized how much I enjoy consistently spending time outdoors amid the beauty of the forest; and I was already looking forward to tomorrow before listening to what I believe to be a beautiful daily lesson … Continue reading Beams

So much beauty I witnessed this morning seemed to, contradictorily, express such harmony and continuity while, at the same time, appear so delicate. A lovely humming bird, like a little magician, dancing from bloom to bloom; and a large, extended family of geese feeding, not above or below the man-made waterfall around which they normally congregate, but on it, while the flow of water was … Continue reading Purple

I suppose partly because I’ve been spending so much time outdoors lately I’ve been experiencing a lot of feelings of camping nostalgia. There’s just something about running (or hiking) a forest path that weaves through drenching sun and the shock of an almost chilly cool under a deep tree canopy and the combination of sunscreen and bug spray fragrances (both of which, by association, I … Continue reading Solos

Lately, and including today, I’ve been fascinated watching a young (and surprisingly small) great blue heron fishing at the lake where I run, and I’ve particularly enjoyed the spectacle – and thought – of this little baby’s apparently increasing independence. Having observed one of who I presume are this newcomer’s parents fish earlier in the morning, it was sweet to see the same intent (and … Continue reading Songs IV

I’m not sure what it is about distance running, or whether it’s really the cause at all, but, lately, I’ve been getting up and going to bed with the sun. More accurately, I’ve been doing so slightly earlier. Each morning, when wondering whether I should really get up, I adore being greeted, gently and cheerfully, by a pre-dawn chorus that, in the dark, helps let … Continue reading Watches

I had a breakthrough today. Although, on my trail runs, I feel a sense of love for every animal and enjoy moments of connection regularly, I almost never seem to be able to jog near or past mourning doves without accidentally startling them. Finally, having seen one individual far enough in the distance to adjust my pace accordingly, I loved being able to gently hike … Continue reading The Hood

My trail run this morning began and ended more ceremoniously than normal. I’m not sure why more impressive sights seem so front-loaded occasionally, but sometimes I feel the first few moments of my visits to the local lake could be accompanied by Jurassic Park crescendo music the flights of large eagles and herons being so beautifully orchestrated. Today, anyway, I was greeted by the delightful … Continue reading Teamwork

For decades, I’ve felt inspired by a family brocade embroidered with the biblical phrase “Love bsears all things.” But, since it is held up by a teddy bear, when I was small and unaware of meaning of this term as a verb, I questioned the grammar. Did it mean to love everyone, including bears? I’ve given considerable thought over the years to concepts of both … Continue reading Bears

I was thinking tonight about how powerful a good memory – a memory of being loved, supported, and feeling right in the middle of God’s will – can be. It’s a little thing, but every time I enjoy a particular kind of seasoned cracker, as I did tonight, that tastes just like the kind my family bought when I was little, I feel so at … Continue reading Leaven

It should always be Spring. Lately, rosa multiflora and honeysuckle blooms along my running path have been fragrancing my journey so lavishly it feels like I may as well be jogging through a department store perfume bsection were it not for all of the physical beauty.hr I keep wondering: What is it about such impressions that seem to transport almost involuntarily? Again this week, I … Continue reading Songs III

As I wrote at length in 2016, I believe it to be important that we consider words, and especially prominent journalistic institutions’ words “of record” as a sort of currency and, even as the world sadly (but relatedly) seems to be reconsidering the U.S. dollar as its standard reserve currency, occasionally appraise their actual value. Just as America has retained an ability to print new, … Continue reading Currency

My morning was filled with baby birds, and I hope everyone gets to be so fortunate. Even though I see geese all the time these days when running, rarely do I see a family gathered together as adorably as a goose mom, dad, and four fluffy goslings were today, the littles sampling patches of grass shoots while flanked by clearly loving and vigilant guardians. I’m … Continue reading Reasons

So, my saga learning from the surprisingly dramatic survival strategies of local birds along my running route continues. This past week, and still feeling inspired to consider having witnessed a gorgeous robin seem to change his or her mind about feasting on a little worm as a sort of wink from the universe in acknowledgment of all the thought I have been devoting to the … Continue reading Training

Last night had I had such vivid dreams I’m still pondering them. One involved a long journey through a long and freezing cold river – which I navigated, alternately, by swimming and running across ice before finally reaching a land mass where I was promptly rescued via helicopter by an outspoken kidnapping survivor and advocate for women’s rights whose face was such an immense comfort … Continue reading Dreams

A couple of times over the past couple of days I’ve stood practically frozen, in awe of the swooping passage of a large Barred Owl flying as the sight is, for me, so rare. One thing I usually don’t even think about but always find striking about these raptors is the silence in which they move. And I’ve given this thought with regard to political … Continue reading Stealth

Going for a trail run today, and as I have on many days lately, I found myself enjoying music that was, for me as a preschooler anyway, an introduction to music that celebrated genuine creativity. All I have to do is hear a bar or two of the introduction to Time After Time and it is as if I am a preschooler in Plymouth again. … Continue reading Punks

I’m not sure yet I exactly recommend Frontline as a soporific. It’s so easy to fall asleep with my headphones at slightly too high a volume and, when a particularly loud clip begins, find they’ve morphed into more of an alartrim clock. Still, as YouTube’s algorithm the last couple of days has introduced me to a lot of Vladimir Kara-Murza, it’s been hard not to … Continue reading Calls (Edited)

This week, it almost took my breath away to see a pair of enormous bald eagles perched together at the edge of a jetty near the beginning of a trail run as their calm camaraderie was touching. Despite an abundance of large fish splashing conspicuously all around them, these two genuinely seemed to be doing nothing more than resting, enjoying one another’s company, and the … Continue reading Complements

I was, for a moment, heartened this week when I received an email from a large café chain notifying the public it was adding two uncaffeinated dessert drinks to its menu but, when I visited a store, I was reminded its arguably healthiest caffeine-free and non-sugary tea could now only be ordered with caffeine and sugar added. I’m not sure whether you’ve had the same … Continue reading Habits II

When I was little, because my Dad commuted all the way to and from his office in Boston from the shore every day, he took on a second job as a bus driver. If he was going to spend all that time and do all that work driving himself such a long way, he might as well drive everyone. While for many of my growing … Continue reading Rides

This afternoon I was startled by the ringing of the doorbell downstairs when I was not expecting anyone for a couple of hours and, for a moment, felt flustered because I was not really dressed up and felt a little unprepared for a visitor. But, about halfway down the stairs, I realized oh, it’s the person repairing the bell itself. So often, signals of all … Continue reading Ringers

Tonight I walked a path around my neighborhood I almost never take and was reminded of some of the more unusual career paths some people take. I’ve wondered often, for example, how many calls Fitzwater Investigations of the paranormal fields per month (year? day?) and what their contents may be. Particularly as both so-called paranormal and conspiratorial thinking has seemed to take hold in recent … Continue reading Mysteries

Yesterday evening when leaving the trails I walked past a group of women whose boombox (I guess it was an iphone technically) played the refrain “no sacrifice” repeatedly as our paths crossed. I loved this as it related so closely to the idea about which I am learning that, ultimately, and in the spiritual realm, there is no sacrifice. I love the way that, in … Continue reading Business

Last night I had the most vivid dream. In navigating an evening out to meet a friend and see a movie, I was accompanied by an almost wolf-like German Shepherd who could not see but who I could feel was serving as a sort of guard dog. Every time I prepared to walk to a new destination I needed to alert him to come along … Continue reading Guides

I’m very grateful to say I’m feeling better now after a few days of rest and more documentaries than I counted. (I’m not sure about you, but, particularly when I play a series of these while drifting off, I often find myself wondering in the morning and when looking over my internet history how many programs about Genghis Khan or ancient Greece the YouTube people … Continue reading Means

After selling a dress online today I got to thinking about decisions that are optimal, rather than ones that necessarily maximize any one of seemingly many equally important considerations as, even though the price I was offered for this particular item was a little bit lower than I’d originally hoped, agreeing to it felt right to me; and, as I often do, I was grateful … Continue reading Deal II

I’m not sure why it struck me this afternoon, but seeing a semi-colon on a prominent beauty mogul’s arm in a makeup ad was heartening. While I might have been one of the last people in the world to learn the meaning of this symbol, one of my studio art students in grad school educated me about it several years ago in interpreting one of … Continue reading Punctuation

Almost every day, I find myself picking up tiny pieces of plastics and other garbage I’m worried could wash into or near waterways where they could be ingested by birds. It’s not, of course, that I enjoy doing this, but I have seen enough images of the effects of this type of pollution on individual animals that I think it’s worth it. And, recently, I’ve … Continue reading Refuse

I am not sure about you, reader, but I’ve been noting recently how true it is that music really does seem to have the power to transport. After writing about a snippet of a highly produced compilation of Usher songs the other day, I realized I should probably watch the entire clip; and, perhaps because it’d been so long since I’d heard the melodies featured … Continue reading Songs II

This weekend, I was struck by the calm expressed by a group of cormorants enjoying floating in a local river before jogging further to catch another glimpse of, I believe, the same statuesque heron who’d braved a considerable post-rain torrent at the bottom of an artificial waterfall the day before, looking ready for the return of calmer afternoons. I realize gorgeous herons are water birds, … Continue reading Habitats

Almost every day, lately, I am treated to the exquisite sight of one or more Great Blue Herons whose seemingly endless ability to traverse, search and scan their habitats symbolizes purpose in such a relatable way I feel honored to be part of the same world as they. Earlier this evening, and at the end of my jog, I noticed a particularly persistent example braving … Continue reading Standpoints

This morning I woke up to an exquisite birdsong and am still feeling grateful for the gift. I suppose it is the nature of Spring, but, for so many days in a row now, this sort of outdoor music has felt louder and more beautiful than it has in so long. Even the percussion provided by the diligent Pileated Woodpeckers I loved observing working on … Continue reading Songs

First, I realize mine has recently begun to resemble something of a runner’s blog; but I hope analogies to the marathon that has become of my attempt to help shed light on the problems posed by modern corporate journalism business models are helpful. In any case, occasionally, as I did today, I see an extremely determined (and skilled) unicyclist practicing out on my way to … Continue reading On Balance

Yesterday, I had the privilege of watching not one, but two, bald eagles practically dance together overhead on my way to the trails, and, beyond feeling awe-struck by their largeness, grace and agility, I was heartened somehow by the sounds of their vocalizations, which were far more gentle and melodic than I’d imagined. Almost as if they were playing an in-flight game of tag, the … Continue reading Call and Response

I wish someone would have told me earlier how much better my running would get if I simply stopped drinking so much green tea. Or, I guess, I wish I would have listened more earnestly to people who have told me not to drink caffeinated beverages at all. It’s not that I simply ignored such guidance, but even though I consumed zero caffeine when I … Continue reading Habits

When I headed out for a spring run this afternoon, about the last thing I expected was snow. But, nearing a mile in, what is one going to do? It got me thinking about how glad I am that we each have our own internal compass to guide each day rather than predictions, opinions, and even appearances alone, as, otherwise, I would have missed out … Continue reading Weather

I’m not sure whether you’ve ever seen the way a group of teenagers react when parents come home early and break up a secret kid party, but that’s how practically every animal I hiked past on my trail run-turned-hike looked today. It was so overcast and drizzly it was as if everyone – from an enormous, stunned raccoon strolling along one of the people paths … Continue reading Heavy Metal

Another run, another bit of food for thought. As an author and illustrator, I always love reading and learning from the rotating, park-wide children’s book displays set up along one running path on my way to the trails. And this season’s is all about aquatic birds’ preening strategies for living on (and sometimes in) water without ever, actually, getting wet. So often, it’s hard for … Continue reading Sanctuaries

This morning, I felt inspired to spend some time before church perusing archived library materials and found an old (and, incidentally, enormous) 1903 Ladies Home Journal featuring several beautiful articles. One, by a very young Helen Keller, detailed the author’s aspirations for post-college life and was poignant, for me, in the way it articulated a marginalized professional’s feelings of worry she may not fulfill her … Continue reading Pressure

Even though I was surprised to feel inspired to go out for it, I enjoyed the most wonderful run this afternoon. After a couple of hours (you read that right) largely spent hopping from rock to rock, climbing up and down hills normally a little more easily navigable when it’s not rained so recently, and feeling a quiet sense of camaraderie with fellow joggers undeterred … Continue reading Measures

It was supposedly the shortest day of the year, today. They say the darkest hour sometimes precedes the dawn but rarely does anyone seem to delve into the reasons why. Is it not because, so far as this saying is understood as metaphor, the dawn happens within? This morning I got up super early before relishing this afternoon in taking in a long and, for … Continue reading Dawn

Oops. I forgot to even offer to pay. I remembered this humorous-at-the-time, but telling, comment from a colleague the other day when considering how simple it is for those in positions of ill-gotten power to forget how those positions were obtained in the first place. At CNN, it was sometimes difficult to pay for meals in the food court downstairs, so insistent was the resistance … Continue reading Apples

On Views, While I still know relatively little about it, I’ve been intrigued recently by the idea in Course in Miracles of so-called “special relationships,” or, as I understand them, relationships meant less to uplift and to free than to try to create zones of ego-led governance, usually fueled by some form of predation, and away from God’s guidance. Recently, I’ve been pondering concepts in … Continue reading Prospect

There’s something about the word forgive, and the diversity of its definitions, that has long felt difficult for me to compute. Forgive, of course, connotes something different – or maybe simply larger – than the partial synonyms pardon or erase; otherwise, we would all simply use those. And, recently, I’ve loved pondering the insight that rearranging this term’s syllables lends. To forgive, one may posit, … Continue reading Giving For

Are we seriously in our fourth blackout in just a few weeks? I love Georgia (I really do; there’s a reason people write songs about this place they don’t write about New Jersey) but all this has begun to feel like a lot to handle mid-summer. It may sound trite (and random, but stay with me), but I’ve been giving a great deal of thought … Continue reading Glow

Lately, I have been giving deep thought to the connection between the words ignorance and ignore. So often, it feels like ideas and solutions to the world’s problems are sidelined when they could most easily be implemented, exacerbating, and even compounding, interrelated challenges where these intersect most tightly. But delay is not the worst potential outcome of such approaches when one considers some of the … Continue reading Pink

I accidentally dyed myself blue today. What is it about this color – which is a world of colors, of course – and its relationship to mistakes lately? First, in my endless brilliance, this evening I thought it would be a good idea to re-navy a cotton skirt, which had accidentally gotten partially bleached during lockdowns after I tried to follow pandemic cleaning protocols, and … Continue reading Blue

I don’t think I’d realized it consciously until it became undeniable how singularly-themed my practically animal-rescue-only Instagram feed had become. But I’ve begun giving thought to why it is these are almost the only posts presented to me anymore. What is it that is so inspiring about the sight of a wild or rehabilitated little creature being given the opportunity to, in safety, express his … Continue reading Long Ways

On Aspirations It might be that, tonight, I washed and conditioned my hair with Biolage – the brand of my late kidhood. Maybe it’s that it’s St. Patrick’s Day and I listened to the brilliant voice of Dolores O’Riordan singing Dreaming My Dreams – a sound that brought me back to the same time. But I’ve felt inspired to consider the evolution of aspirations. To … Continue reading Modeling

On Scenes When I was little in Boston, I knew it was time for bed when the Cheers theme came on. Almost every day, lately, and for some reason, I’ve been thinking about how truly safe and at home I felt during those years as particular sights and sounds seem to cause fond memories to come flooding back; but it’s been more wonderful recently to … Continue reading Spectacles

Earlier this evening, while doing laundry, an enormous, lone blueberry I’d forgotten about in a jacket pocket and dramatically missed on the way down landed unceremoniously on the basement floor before rolling far away under one of two massive appliances. Thinking I’d come back and get it with a flashlight in a little bit, it was hard not to feel a little annoyed. So much … Continue reading Stowaway

After I first left CNN, and especially after walking away from two other, simultaneous, media roles held for about a year afterward, I often found myself pondering my purpose and, heartbroken, hoping to feel confident some form of this could be renewed and restored. Recently, and especially as the theme of senseless predation with regard to media companies has felt so much like the proverbial … Continue reading On Purpose

“Did you enjoy the cocaine?” my fellow traveler asked in a half-laugh, amused by my naiveté in inquiring about whether he, too, had tried the coca tea in any local restaurants during the conference. Moments before, I’d hurriedly approached a series of airport retail stores inquiring about whether they sold the Ecuadorian drink – a novelty to me I’d had no idea had any stimulant … Continue reading Influence

Are any historical eras more interesting than the first centuries BC and AD? For some reason, I have recently felt so drawn to learning more about this period, and particularly about Rome’s transition from republic to empire, that I’ve been struck by the intersectionality of storylines I’d before considered more separately. While, at first, I felt inspired simply to spend time appreciating not only the … Continue reading Territory

Today I was grateful to be able to re-read a portion of Henry Drummond’s The Greatest Thing in the World, from which I have a great deal to learn. And it’s felt underscored to me recently how important it is to try to keep things both in their proper proportion and in their proper order. Continue reading Orders

Recently, I experienced the unusual feeling of being not just enamored, but awe-struck, by the sight of Sirius outside my window. Continue reading Moments

The more it seems to me there are two opposing forces at play in so many of our social, economic, and political interactions – those that would encourage only a surface-level appearance of progress in order to maintain stagnancy and those that more deeply strive for progress in actuality – the more it feels important to recognize and to build on the work of those dedicated to the latter. Continue reading Unions

Perhaps one reason it is more comforting to listen to, and to talk with, honest people with whom I disagree than corporate pundits who, often, parrot what many times do seem to be the right talking points but for the wrong reasons, is that the former permit productive dialogue in which insight can be gained and problems solved. And, while I never imagined myself siding with conservatives on very many issues at all, I’ve begun to view at least a few of the party’s advocates as making the case for sustainably-paced, rather than clownishly-parodied progress. Continue reading Content

If it is true that unaccountable power is attracted to unaccountable power, cronyism being corrupt systems’ best defense against reform, should we not still pause to wonder whether a world informed by publicly-traded communications companies, their mode of operating arguably being so incompatible with human nature that their very presence may work against the well-being of society as a whole, is informed at all? Continue reading The Score

If it is true that corruption in media – and, arguably, in all organization types – tends to take the form of encouraging, and covering up, the build-up of large amounts of unaccountable power for the purpose of exploitation by only a few informed players, a great danger to the country could be said to be any system – not just any person – that would automate such processes. Continue reading Pressing

If it is true that the primary purpose of the stock market is to create a sort of black box within which profit can be made without accountability for harms perpetrated against people or planet, even while corporations spend enormous sums on marketing and image-crafting, would not its operations create a greater – and not a lesser – need for journalism in America? At the very least, should we not decide, sooner rather than later, that American media organizations’ relationship to the stock market is problematic and open a dialogue about how this may most sensibly and helpfully be addressed? Continue reading Batteries

Why does it seem that, sometimes, the hardest thing to do of all is, simply, to be still, even if only for long enough to gain a sense of peace about next steps? Continue reading Holding Patterns

“Don’t throw me down, Clark.” Continue reading High Beams

When I was a kid, I absolutely loved to daydream. Continue reading Fulfillment

With autumn transforming the landscape, I am grateful to reflect on many wonderful experiences by which I was blessed growing up in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Continue reading Thanksgiving

I was thinking today about John Cage’s 4’33” and the access every person has to insight, intelligence, and inward beauty, but about the role of relatedness, as well. Continue reading The Only One

What if those figures in public affairs today who seem most larger-than-life are not standing on the shoulders of geniuses but, rather, a marketing machine fueled by practically nothing but our own collective insecurities? Continue reading Fast

I love the idea that no one’s identity falls into the victim or villain category, and that we are all one another’s heroes to the degree that we forgive and help one another, including admonishing only when needed in order to help everyone advance. Continue reading Helpers

I still believe it may be the practice itself of making art, engaging in sport, dancing – following one’s own heart in the process of self-expression, in other words – rather than allowing oneself to be externally impressed all of the time – that may be one helpful step toward a world more in tune with its intuition. Continue reading Visibility (Edited)

I’ve often heard it said that all of our responsibility is simply to respond to God’s ability, and, while I understand the sentiment, I sometimes feel it could be articulated even more helpfully. Continue reading Responsibility

I loved listening today to a talk about the relatedness of art and conservation between two young people who shared a deep love for animals with which I identified wholeheartedly. Continue reading Majority

When I have felt right – although not 100% sure – about a decision in recent years it’s been comforting to remember a line from a movie made popular some years ago. Continue reading So Far

When we were very little, my younger sister was terrified of riding on the turnpike. “We’re going to have to get on the highway,” we’d be gently informed, before a brief stint traveling at what really does feel like an unreasonable speed to preschoolers. (Not the highway!) Continue reading Bypass

Recently, I listened to an inspirational talk by two women who mentioned the importance of giving up one’s story in order to progress spiritually. I found this concept, which is not new to me, intriguing, both for its obvious correctness in absolute terms, but, also, for the way it does seem to neglect the educational opportunities many individuals’ stories have imparted – and continue to impart – to so many today. Continue reading Courses

Particularly with regard to the journalism world, which is uniquely insulated from journalistic coverage, it has felt helpful to employ my background as a writer and simply help articulate a silenced problem rather than endlessly staring at it. Continue reading Mentorship

One of my sisters loves to quote Jerry Seinfeld, and one of the bits I most enjoyed being introduced to was a contrast drawn between the comedian’s life priorities at different times of day. “That’s morning guy’s problem,” he recalled declaring in making an unwise decision before bed. Continue reading Adders

While it is an overly simplistic metaphor, like both the temporary stilts & permanent piles that allow us to rest, to play, and to generally live in safety in dynamic environments, the stability historical and modern forms of governance have provided deserves to be acknowledged. Continue reading Kidhood

It had been awhile since I started the day by watching Muppet Babies and The Jetsons. Continue reading On Time

Recently, I have felt inspired to ponder the idea of intermediate steps more dispassionately, and to look at them in ways that are both more discriminating and more grateful. Continue reading Scaffolds

I have had mixed feelings, this week, reading stories about a woman who certainly did express courage in standing up to a leading figure in her political party but did so in ways that seemed, to me, to further entrench the power of an unchecked and, still, largely publicly-traded media sector, referencing its leaders’ increasing political influence repeatedly in jarringly unquestioning ways. Continue reading Sanctioning

When I was little, my Dad bought our first real sports car; and, while I am not a car person – at all – I still can’t help but feel reminded of life then anytime I see an almost impossibly bright red reflection on iridescent lacquer on a hot summer afternoon. Continue reading Beacons

I still believe Americans’ attention may be the most undervalued resource in the world. Continue reading Reconciliation

I have been giving a lot of thought to healing lately, and, specifically, to what it involves. While I have been focused on the emotional kind, I’ve felt inspired to think more broadly about healing arts. Continue reading On Healing

What if it would be possible to harness the knowledge we all now have – that it is as if, on the consumption- and ratings-fueled cultural descent in which we find ourselves, we seem to be rapidly approaching a creative cliff of daunting proportions – in order to turn what seems a sudden influx of remakes to our collective advantage? Continue reading Drift (Satire)

I loved learning recently that, perhaps, what Darwin really meant by survival of the fittest had less to do with brawn than complementarity; and I’ve been giving a great deal of thought to right place. Continue reading Fitting

When I was little, I went through a brief phase as a beginner artist during which I could tell there was something important I needed to add to my drawings, but I did not know what. Continue reading The Work

What if, as in physical movement around Atlanta, there is a need, not only for a 75- or 85-like connector, or even a distant loop encircling important places, but for topical destinations in public affairs discourse where acknowledgement, interaction, and actual building occur? Continue reading Neighborhoods

Ever since I was a kid, I have adored shopping for art supplies, poring through pen, marker, and paper options in order to be able to draw the perfect line; and I got to thinking about this after picking up two uni pins yesterday. What makes fineliner marks so beautiful? Continue reading The Weight

There is something important about me readers of my blog may not know. While, for much of my career, I have gone by the titles artist, producer, and writer, a thread of greater continuity has remained unchanged throughout that I sometimes feel should get its own job title: Bug Rescuer. Continue reading Rulers

Given all of the emphasis that has rightly been placed needs for on physical infrastructural overhaul in recent years, I believe it will be important to consider informational infrastructure, too. Continue reading The Problem

I believe that if we needed proof that AI would harm us in order to preserve itself, modern divisiveness and the weaponization of legitimate social justice movements proves it. Continue reading Gravity

According to researchers, Self-Determination Theory, or, SDT, outlines three requirements of effective group governance: autonomy, recognized competence, and relatedness. Continue reading Landings

I believe the reason progress almost always seems to require sacrificial love is unspecificity, or, a resultant so-called tragedy of the commons. Continue reading Specificity

Recently, I experienced a car crash after which I felt almost unable to stop crying for days. While I have no memory of the accident, one of my first thoughts after realizing what had happened was of gratitude. Continue reading Impact

There isn’t just a place – but a necessity – for debate, advocacy, and even activism in America’s system of governance. It is only that, just as we deserve safety from activist jurists, Americans deserve safety from activist journalists. It’s not as if, like Truman Burbank, we can simply tell them, “good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight” and leave. We live here. Continue reading Labels

“Mye-gan,” my Russian friend’s mom called me, with the most unforgettable warmth.
Continue reading Leaders

When feeling frustrated recently, I was grateful to be reminded of the idea of ground in circuitry. Continue reading Networks

In writing a gratitude list today (which I need to do more often), I noted, in looking around, how markedly a few pieces of lemon in my water had brightened and sweetened my day; but, in looking my list back over, the word lemons had an entirely new meaning. Continue reading Lemons

One of the most humbling experiences I’ve ever had in communicating was in placing a takeout order – by myself – not far from Beijing. I’d practiced at length before going to the restaurant & felt confident ordering eggplant to go. Little did I know, I, evidently, mispronounced the word qié zi so badly it was almost impossible to understand. Continue reading Code Red

It literally hit me on the head today. Last year, while storyboarding Gertrude Saves Her World, I worked through such a multitude of ideas so quickly that the only way to handle them seemed to be by mapping my book using back-of-the-napkin-type paper scraps I’ve decided to leave in place even now. Continue reading Upside

l could hardly believe it, today, driving to the gym and realizing I was exactly on time. Post-snack. Continue reading Wavelengths

When I was about five, I was given the opportunity to travel to another state about a week ahead of my immediate family in order to get to know my grandparents better. Continue reading Migration

Constraints can be some of the most important dimensions of environments conducive to problem-solving; and, increasingly, as media silos become more expansively large, impenetrable, and distant from one another, I wonder whether an array of creative solutions to many of the world’s problems could be further obscured. Continue reading Breadcrumbs

While the American people prepare to become what are essentially shareholders in our nation’s most profitable corporations (should BBB be passed), I wonder whether an accountable journalism sector would enable us to insist that we refuse to be funded by considerable and avoidable human rights abuses sometimes endemic to such organizations. Continue reading Deal

I continue to wonder, after having advocated for so many years now for at least consideration of the possibility that the increasingly conglomerated corporate marketing/journalism sector could be meaningfully held accountable for private human rights abuses, whether anyone has heard. Continue reading What It’s All About

Tonight, while finishing a particularly difficult workout, partly because I was being coached well, I felt inspired to give my all until the very last moment, which involved a last-few-seconds run to a treadmill where I would maximize both speed and incline. Continue reading Punch

Processing solitary ordeals is its own skill set. Continue reading Relative

I was taken aback this past week, pulling up to one of the most dilapidated and blighted intersections in downtown Baltimore, to catch a glimpse of what I believe to have been a Great Blue Heron soaring majestically along a local river. Continue reading Looking Up

While I realize the matter’s gotten some attention, I feel revelations this past week that two television news networks seemingly diametrically opposed ideologically are funded by the same corporation is notable. Gaudí spoke famously of the relationship between originality and origins; and it is worth revisiting the idea. Continue reading What You Can Do

Visiting New York’s national 9/11 memorial this past week, finally, I was awe-struck by how articulately its footprint chasms, and the waterfalls that surround them, seemed to pose deep questions about the meaning and destiny of tears. Continue reading The Question

In his farewell address, Ronald Reagan said “watch closely, and don’t be afraid to see what you see.” Continue reading The View (Edited)

Do I have time to grab my bag? Do I have time to grab my bag, I wondered urgently at the Capitol complex, a moment after being alerted, wrongly, that we had just been bombed blocks away. It was no time to think about homework, but I grabbed my backpack and ran. Continue reading That Day

Total and borderless unity across sectors in our country would require more evolved, more just, and more trustworthy actors; and, while I do believe we are, in general, becoming more virtuous as a population, it is arguable that a rush toward borderless cooperation between the financial, media, and even government sectors could open the door to corruption. Continue reading Origins

It thundered hard tonight. Because I wanted to see the lightning but had been studying I decided to read by flashlight and was immediately taken back to your gift. Continue reading Heaven

I think there may be more to the bread. Continue reading All the Time

Sometimes something just needs to be said. Continue reading Two Trees (Satire)

One of my favorite all-time movie scenes is the one in which real-life pilot Jim Lovell, played so movingly by Tom Hanks, describes feeling led to safety by a bioluminescent algae trail when his navigational instruments had short-circuited earlier in life: “You never know what events are going to transpire to get you home,” he said. Continue reading Navigation

Quarantining has involved a lot of outward stillness and inward pondering; and it has been difficult at times not to identify with a pinneped like these on dry ground. Continue reading Seals

I have heard several times in my life, and from various people, about the importance of borderless faith, but I am learning that there is so much more required to at least begin to make progress. Continue reading Suburbs

On one of my first nights back after temporarily returning to the Mid-Atlantic after graduate school I was stunned by the intensity of pounding winds, profoundly loud thunder and shocking lightning that constituted what I would later learn is termed a derecho. Continue reading Screaming

“Hey, could you sweeten this audio for me?” Continue reading What You Don’t Know

This past week, in making what felt like about the billionth pan of cornbread I have in recent months, I realized midway through mixing there was not nearly enough sugar around to fulfill the recipe’s instructions. All I had on hand was a small amount of honey. Continue reading Sweetened

I believe the who and the what of confrontational roles, while related, are not deterministically so. This is as position and identity are distinct propositions; and so long as some form of accountability is present, protective and predatory forces can be disentangled. Continue reading Shadows

Journalists are frequently told that, in order to make it professionally, you need to learn to jettison your most beloved ideas or, as the saying goes, kill your darlings. Continue reading Spheres

When… When… WHEN! Continue reading Produce

“Law students are trying to do math and it hurts,” my friend groaned not long ago, evaluating papers. Continue reading Night

Given that, even more than our physical infrastructure, our informational infrastructure is in dire need of overhaul, might it be possible to tackle needed updates to two complementary systems in tandem? And is this possible without acknowledgement from media organizations? Continue reading Wonder

I am not sure why the idea of equality within news organizations is so controversial and feel it is still important to say so. And to tell the truth about badguys: that they are not known quantities around which the whole world must always tiptoe, but, rather, people like everyone else who simply require – and deserve – civilizational borders. Continue reading Badguys

There seem to be two distinct, although not necessarily contrary, bases from which too many altogether avoidable disagreements stem today, with one side advocating for decision-making based only on outward, measurable facts, and, the other, pressing for better consideration of more abstract and inward matters. Continue reading Representation

This post is simply to note that I have added a Donate button to my blog. Thank you for considering doing so should you feel good about it. Continue reading Bills

Paul Cezanne once wrote “the day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.” Continue reading Fruit

Frequently, when, for some reason or other, I feel strongly that I ought to make a particular minor decision, like driving a slightly different route to an intended destination, but I am not sure why, I tell myself that perhaps God is just leading me to avoid a frog getting ready to cross a road. Continue reading For the Frogs

One of the biggest surprises for me in emerging from lockdown, during which I have spent much loved time in nature, has been re-acquainting myself with the sight of a bit more litter downtown than I had remembered. Continue reading Names

To whom it may concern: I would like to ask whether I would be able to reach out to the UN’s Mr. António Guterres about experience-based recommendations regarding media organizations. Continue reading An Open Letter

I am not sure I have ever been more worried about a decision in my professional life than I have been about determining whether – and how – to talk about my latter years in television in a request that women’s rights be more fully acknowledged. Continue reading Love

One of the most memorable stories I recall being told in graduate school was of the lead-up to the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement and a series of mediated talks between two constituencies seemingly at intractable odds: tobacco farmers and public health workers. As I remember, it was during the process of learning about one another’s respective positions that these groups learned something surprising: Continue reading Trust

More and more, it feels important to articulate that civic identity is a layered concept, and that this layeredness is good. Continue reading Refuge

Even a broken clock is right two times per day, they say. Continue reading Time

This story is about a young girl and her little brother who, together, travel the world in a homemade balloon in order to feed all of the world’s carnivores before, on their second stop, discovering an important shortcut toward their goal. Continue reading Gertrude Saves Her World

Having opened a notes program on my computer for the first time in a long time this afternoon, I happened across this poem from September of last year. Continue reading Slalom (Poem)

Continue reading Coming Soon: Gertrude Saves Her World

“I … yearn … for a Delaware … license plate,” my professor mused, almost to himself. Continue reading Food

“It’s forever. Next!!!!” Continue reading Loving Boaz (Satire)

I grew up on woah … woah … WOAH! Continue reading Leveling Up

I recently had the privilege of driving in pitch dark between Jasper and Banff, Alberta, right in the middle of a dark sky preserve. Continue reading When Eclipses Are Good

I have long been told that it is important to have vision for one’s future but that it is a lot more important who, rather than what, one becomes. Continue reading How Mentorship Helps Prevent Creativity from Going Extinct

One of Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s definitions of the word “impeach” is: to cast doubt on especially : to challenge the credibility or validity of I wonder whether it may be important at this moment to be applying constructive criticism to at least some processes, and not just people. Continue reading Journalism Funding: A More Unified Theory

How transactions based on excess brand equity yield diminishing returns by undermining the cultivation of individual creativity & what we may do. Continue reading Paper Parks, Security Theater, and a Proxy Paradox

Several years ago, in broadly considering what might be my next career move, I felt very drawn home, or at least to the city that had for so very long felt like home to me. Continue reading On Location

When it looks like a mountain but feels like a cliff A boss, a boyfriend, a mentor, offers great success, the status quo your very life Only if!  When the arrow in your path looks to have been released before you were born, and, incoming, feels more like a rocket, Rock it then Because maybe you are the one moving. Continue reading Movement (Poem)

Our government was designed, in part, based on the geometrical principle that, in two-dimensional space, a triangle is perhaps the strongest conceivable shape. But what happens when a formidable force is exerted on a triangular system, like our executive-legislative-judicial setup, from outside its two-dimensional plane? Continue reading Does Three-Dimensional Thinking Illustrate a Fifth Estate Rooted In Thanksgiving?

It’s been said that one should always ignore everything a person says and only pay attention to what they do. While this is obviously an overstatement, words are the currency for an economy of action. But what happens when a currency and what it represents become unlinked? Continue reading Website Published (Excerpt)

I have heard it said that Baltimore is shaped like a martini glass, or a capital, serifed “I,” with the center city’s Canton, Harbor East, Inner Harbor, and Federal Hill forming the bottom, connected by Charles Street and I-83 up to Roland Park, Mount Washington, Guilford, and Belvedere along the top. Continue reading Inroads

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to what I have to give to the world that I am not sharing at the moment and that might be a help and encouragement to others. Although it occurred to me quite awhile ago that writing might be a sensible step toward this goal of contributing more meaningfully, I’ve been waiting. Continue reading A Holiday Worth Taking Pause

Continue reading Student Trash Incinerator Protest (Video)