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My material needs for a month or two fit into a small backpack, end-on in an aircraft’s overhead bin. I find it satisfying to carefully select what I’m going to pack in my 35-liter backpack before heading out of town for a few weeks. I now want that same compact, lightweight, self-sufficient feeling with our… Continue reading The Zen of Empty Shelves

   A fierce rainstorm had hit California. People had died, a reservoir was bursting at the seams, evacuations had been ordered in several counties. The storm weakened as it crossed the Rockies on its way to Minneapolis and points east. On Monday, Presidents’ Day, the storm finally hit Minneapolis, dropping 0.6 inches of rain. This… Continue reading An Indoor 9-Mile Urban Hike

Time, light, oxygen, and heat are enemies of spices. Enemy The Problem Mitigations Time I suspect the typical spice rack harbors spices from the last millennium. Buy tiny quantities, use within one year. For spices you use rarely, buy enough for one meal. Light Spice jars are usually transparent and sit on a rack on… Continue reading A Constant Supply of Fresh Spices

January 1990: I flew back home to Minneapolis after attending my father’s funeral in England. As the plane descended over Minneapolis my anxiety level rose, as it always did at this point in my journey back to the USA. Flying doesn’t bother me in the least. It was the thought of being questioned by an… Continue reading When Fear Rules

  Today, Inauguration Day 2017, I did my bit to support artistic expression and local beer. Artistic expression is constitutionally protected speech. Art can express compassion, empathy, inclusiveness, but it can be annoying, uncomfortable, nihilistic. A crucifix immersed in the artist’s urine is not my go-to artistic experience, but neither is mind-numbing kitsch. Many of… Continue reading Inauguration Day 2017

Tomorrow I’ll be stopping at the post office to drop off a box filled with foreign coins and banknotes. Last year, at Newcastle International Airport, I showed my nephews an easier way to dispose of foreign currency. I led them to a big, bubble-shaped currency donation bin, then handed them some UK coins. As you… Continue reading How to Dispose of Unwanted Money

How about an almost-free flight to Tokyo? How about applying for a credit card with a 70,000 airline frequent flyer (FF) mile signup bonus, using the card for three months, then cutting up the card? 70,000 miles can buy a round-trip ticket from Minneapolis to Tokyo. Flying is not always the best way to accumulate… Continue reading Freakin’ Cheap: Almost-Free Flights

This morning I read that the developer of the red Solo cup, Robert Hulseman, had died. The cup was first produced in the 1970’s and is known to generations of students as the cup of choice for keggers. It’s also the preferred growing container for cannabis. I took the photograph at the top of this post… Continue reading A Red Solo Cup