Blog

It’s not a great way to end a trip to be greeted by desiccated or drowned houseplants. Travel and houseplants don’t get along terribly well. My partner, Dwight, enjoys long winter trips and growing things. I enjoy long winter trips and playing with tech. When it comes to indoor gardening, it’s a match made in… Continue reading Remotely Managed Gardens on Wheels

I like to travel at least two months each winter. Part of that time my partner, Dwight, travels with me. The rest of the time he’s back at work while I continue the adventure on my own. Next week, Dwight arrives at the end of his career, and hops on the “Life Phase 3 train.”… Continue reading A Medication Vacation

The Navy will begin reverting destroyers back to a physical throttle and traditional helm control system in the next 18 to 24 months, after the fleet overwhelmingly said they prefer mechanical controls to touchscreen systems in the aftermath of the fatal USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) collision. The investigation into the collision showed that a… Continue reading In Praise of Tactile Controls

I usually take some snapshots when I explore on my bicycle. A few times in the past couple weeks I’ve found the foreground to be just as interesting as the thing I wanted to photograph. Wildflowers A friend and I were cycling back and forth through an industrial area of St. Paul’s St. Anthony Park.… Continue reading Wildflowers and Participatory Games

Most mornings Dwight, my partner of 32 years, makes the first pot of the day. I get to enjoy the brew in bed while reading the New York Times. Usually I’m squirming at the news of more dog whistles from the White House. Delaying the Harriet Tubman $20 bank note is just one example of… Continue reading Living a Guarded Life

If you’re planning to visit Spain’s Costa del Sol, you’ll probably be staying in a busy place. It can be hard to avoid over-loved places, but I prefer to seek out B-List places. On our recent family trip to the Andalucia region of Southern Spain, we stayed in four cities: Nerja (4 nights), Granada (2… Continue reading Antequera: the Case for B-List Travel

April 2018. Hundreds of people were lined up in heavy rain to buy tickets for Spain’s national art museum, the Prado. Some fiddled with their smartphones to alleviate their boredom as they shuffled slowly towards the entrance. They seemed unaware they could use their expensive devices to simplify their lives. I found a sheltered spot… Continue reading Using a Smartphone to Bypass Lines in Spain

I needed to share my love of backpacking and walking with my two young nephews (aged 10 and 11). My partner, the two nephews, their parents, and I have been backpacking in Andalucia, Southern Spain. With a couple exceptions, we traveled using public transport and our legs. The exceptions were a ride on the tram… Continue reading Traveling by Numbers