September is truly one of Maine’s finest months. It’s always a toss-up between September and October for which feels more pleasant and comfortable – September for the warmth, October for the chill.
Read more
The “extreme” red on the U.S. Drought Monitor has been steadily creeping toward our county here in Maine. I’ve never seen it so severe. We’ve had dry spells, but nothing like this.
Read more
Have I been doing it right? I’ve read countless books and continue to do so, but have I rushed through some that deserved more of my attention? In this post, I attempt to answer that very question.
I’d like to start by sharing a little problem I’m wrestling with – see if it sounds familiar to you. I have this odd feeling that I need to read as many books as humanly possible before I die. I was talking about it with Laura last night, and she admitted she’s wrestling with something similar: “I better get moving because I’m never going to get where I need to be.” After she said that, I couldn’t help but think, Where exactly do you need to be? Where does anyone need to be in regards to their reading?
Read more
There’s a region in England known as the Cotswolds. It stretches across gentle hills and honey-colored stone villages and is situated about 75 miles from central London. Much of it is easily accessible by train, making it a popular escape from the bustle of the city. The Cotswolds is celebrated for its rolling landscapes, charming towns, lush (notoriously English) gardens, and deep history. So enchanting is the locale that it’s been officially designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With its storybook scenery and timeless character, it’s no wonder that countless authors, poets, filmmakers, and other creative souls have chosen to call it home over the centuries.
Read more
Over the years, I’ve trained Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu full-time at three schools and have visited several others as a guest. Each academy had its own rhythm, its own way of doing things, and through that variety, I began noticing what resonated with me the most. Some instructors focused heavily on detail, others on pace, and a few managed to strike a balance between the two. Looking back, I realize that each experience shaped not only how I train, but also how I view the art as a whole.
As complicated as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu may sometimes appear, there really aren’t that many moving parts that lead to becoming proficient. There’s the fitness component, where the student grows stronger and develops a healthier appearance. Then there’s the technical side, where skills sharpen and the student learns what’s required of becoming eventually and effectively lethal. And, of course, there’s the fun. This is what keeps people hooked and coming back for more. Beyond that, there’s also the social side, though this is something in which the instructor plays a small part. Building friendships and connections is left almost entirely to the student. Some prefer to simply show up, train, and head home. Others make it a lifestyle, weaving the culture of BJJ into their daily lives. Either path is perfectly fine.
Read more
The only time I’ve ever taken a deliberate break from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was when Laura and I moved from Connecticut to Florida. At that point, I couldn’t train because I hadn’t found a new gym yet. If I remember correctly, it took me about three weeks to settle on a place, but from then on, while we lived in Florida, I was back to training three times a week.
When we later moved from Florida to Maine, it was a similar story, though that transition only set me back about a week. Aside from illness or minor injuries, I’ve only ever missed a few scattered weeks of training since I began in 2008. I’ve never taken a true hiatus. But here we are in the year 2025, and my mind is tired, so I’m finally taking some time off.
Read more
Casual blogging is easy. There’s really not much to it. You set up a blog and write whenever you feel like it. If the mood strikes, you set aside some time to jot down your thoughts. If it doesn’t, oh well – it’s not as if anyone was expecting anything anyway. You’re not letting anyone down.
Professional (and even serious amateur) blogging is an entirely different beast. While casual blogging is mostly a private exchange between a blogger and a computer, professional blogging is a relationship between a writer and his or her readers. And once that relationship is established, it can lead to wonderful outcomes – or terrible ones. In this post, I’m going to explore a variety of possibilities.
Read more
Do you remember when people read physical magazines? Those were the days. Even if you’re too young to have experienced it, trust me, it was a ritual for millions. You could grab the latest issue from a corner newsstand, a drugstore rack, or even the grocery checkout line. And those TV ads! “For only three easy payments of $9.99, you’ll receive a fresh issue every week for a year!”
Magazines had a certain magic; sleek covers, glossy pages, and that unmistakable scent of fresh ink. While newspapers kept train commuters and kitchen-table readers informed, magazines spoke to the style, hobbies, and passions of their readers. The only real dilemma was deciding which of the hundreds of titles to dive into. In this post, I’m flipping through the pages of the past, revisiting classics you might just remember – and maybe even miss.
Read more
When I sit down to write, whether on this blog or any of my others, I can get a little carried away. To say I become preoccupied, or even slightly controlling with my time, might be putting it mildly. When an idea strikes, my attention narrows, conversations fade, and my focus sharpens to an almost uncomfortable intensity. It’s not the most pleasant of sensations, but it’s undeniably part of who I am. I do my best thinking and creating in solitude, which is why welcoming my newest collaborator, ChatGPT, has been both a challenge and an intriguing change.
The above paragraph was edited and “smoothed” by ChatGPT.
Read more
August is the month that gives us hope. The humidity drops slightly and the light begins to change to include just a few more shadows in comparison to its direct summertime brightness. The nighttime temperatures also begin to fall into the mid to high 50s. It can be a glorious month, but it can also be downright miserable, just like July was. You really never know what you’re going to get with the month of August in Maine.
Read more