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It was the summer of 1975. I was standing in a GUM department store in Moscow, Russia, wondering why these people were standing patiently in a long line. I walked to the front of the line to see what was going on. A supply of disposable ballpoint pens had recently arrived. The people were lining… Continue reading Living in a Time of Shortages

One Monday afternoon in April 2016 I got to see something which, once seen, has been impossible to un-see. I’m standing at a crosswalk in Nagano, Japan, reading a ditty on the back of a man’s shirt: Indian Boys, Indian Boys, Oh how I love those Indian Boys The image of an American Indian dreamcatcher… Continue reading A Crosswalk in Nagano

This is our only suitcase. My parents bought it in the 1960’s, probably at the John Lewis “Bainbridge’s” department store in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. They understood durable quality, even though money was tight. It took me through my college days in the 1970’s and on to the United States in 1979. In my undergraduate… Continue reading Travel Gear: Suitcase

This week, the weather in Minneapolis has been dangerously cold. The high on Wednesday was -28°F (-33°C). And that’s not allowing for wind-chill: the wind made it feel even colder. I live to move. Every day I need to walk, jog, or ride my bicycle. But this week is different. The snow is so dry,… Continue reading Steamy Minneapolis

Every now and then, I receive a request like this: Dear Editor, My name is Jen and I’m the Editor at Jen Reviews. I was doing research on cheese recipes and just finished reading your wonderful blog post: https://www.tomwilson.com/2015/05/zen-and-art-of-casserole-assembly.html In that article, I noticed that you cited a solid post that I’ve read in the past: http://www.cheese.com/sartori-classic-montamore/… Continue reading The Liberation of Writing for Myself

Sometimes you just have to break the rules. I ignored a warning sign, climbed over a barrier, then walked down a rickety staircase, avoiding gaps where boards had once been. At the bottom, I found myself in a derelict place beneath the Minneapolis Stone Arch Bridge. I looked up at the beautiful lines of the… Continue reading Underneath the Arches

This is my complete wardrobe: a total of about forty shirts (mainly tees) and pants, and zero suits or jackets. I’ve learned this is not a minimalist wardrobe. Web sites like The Essential Man (“Style Advice for Grown Men”) recommend fourteen pieces, assuming you do laundry once a week. I’m realizing I can do better.… Continue reading Edging Toward a Minimalist Wardrobe

I’ve walked, jogged, and cycled around Lake of the Isles over 10,000 times in the 40 years I’ve lived in Minneapolis. Each time I’ve circled the lake, it has been a different experience. For most of the year, walkers take the inner path, while cyclists ride the outer path. In warmer weather, people set up… Continue reading Lake of the Isles: Always Something New