Essays
Baby Steps and Baby Bonds
Over the past few months I’ve let go of two practices that allowed me to make regular progress on this blog. One letting go was very conscious—I want to get Love Economy, my first novel, Read more…
Reviews and reflections
A Book and a Bear: Two Impressions of Chicago
Predictably, I got around to watching Hulu’s The Bear right before it piled up a stack of Emmys. I’m still a season behind, but I want to begin this post by saying that Season 1 Read more…
Essays
Gender Shouldn’t Define Access to the Playgroup
A “Baker’s Dozen” Reforms for Teaching and Parenting This year my second and youngest child heads to college. 2023 also marks two decades since I moved to Sacramento from New York City, a decision that Read more…
Essays
Courtyards, Streets, and Plazas: Urban Design in Mexico
There are a lot of beautiful things about Mexico, and a lot of hard ones. But if there is one single thing that keeps me coming back it may be the clever urban design and Read more…
Essays
Is the Reasonable Control of Madness Needed for Prosperity?
Prosperity has many potential definitions. But if we read the concept broadly, as a state of happiness and contentment and not merely as the economic accumulation of things and experiences, then other kinds of ideas Read more…
Essays
Musings from Rainy March on Shadows, Drugs, Guns, Los Angeles, and Mexico
Maybe TS Eliot was right that April is the cruelest month. But here in California March was relentless. Atmospheric river after river doused hopes that the dark and cold might end. Even my third spring Read more…