My Failed New Yorker Shouts & Murmur Ideas, Part III: “The End of Shampoo”I loved this popular satire section of the magazine, so I tried to write some funny satire myself. All my attempts fell flat. Or did they…Oct 28, 2020Oct 28, 2020
Removing Beethoven’s Wig: A Classical Music Reading ListAP Photo/Capital City Weekly, James BrooksOct 19, 2020Oct 19, 2020
Down the Rabbit Hole: A Psychedelic Reading ListJahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post via Getty ImagesOct 7, 2020Oct 7, 2020
A Genre of Myths: A Jazz Reading ListTommy Potter, Charlie Parker, and Max Roach performing. William Gottlieb/RedfernsSep 24, 2020Sep 24, 2020
Tangled Up in Bob Stories: A Dylan Reading ListMusic legends from Tom Waits to Joni Mitchell immediately heard Dylan’s genius in songs like “Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands,“ but not me…Sep 20, 2020Sep 20, 2020
Unity and Resistance: The Message of Bad BrainsRevolutionary times call for revolutionary musicJun 20, 2020Jun 20, 2020
Sublime Played Their Most Powerful Song at Their Final Performance“The Ballad of Johnny Butt” is one of the California band’s most moving songs, even if it’s the least-serious soundingApr 3, 20202Apr 3, 20202
Why I Love the Japanese Fast Food Chain MatsuyaInexpensive beef bowls make good friends while traveling in Japan.Feb 26, 2020Feb 26, 2020
Forgotten Japanese Whiskies of the 1980s and 90sAs distillers launched super premium brands like Yamazaki and Hibiki, they were also selling cheap oddities to young drinkers who weren’t…Jan 27, 2020Jan 27, 2020
The Cat Who Runs A Japanese Train StationAnd the tourists who just have to visit him, because #CatLifeJan 22, 20202Jan 22, 20202
Suntory’s Forgotten First Foray into Vodka: Mild VodkaThe Japanese corporate giant has tried it all since they started selling alcoholic beverages in 1899.Jan 20, 20201Jan 20, 20201
Six Old School Japanese Whiskies from Decades PastGreat new Japanese whiskies abound, but bygone eras were filled with equally interesting blends and experiments.Jan 9, 2020Jan 9, 2020
My Failed New Yorker Shouts & Murmur Ideas, Part II: “Summer’s Over, Dude, It’s Time for Pants”I loved this popular satire section of the magazine, so I tried to write some funny satire myself. All my attempts fell flat. Or did they…Jan 7, 2020Jan 7, 2020
Failing to Sell My First Book Hurt, But In the Long-Run, It Helped My Writing LifeSometimes the thing we think we want most is the thing that let’s us see what we really need.Jan 6, 2020Jan 6, 2020
American Thrift Store: A Photo EssayThe places that sell old stuff can be as beautiful as the stuff they sell.Jan 6, 20201Jan 6, 20201
Shopping for Jazz in Japan: A Photo EssayIt’s nice to visit a country that appreciates vintage music that America largely neglects, and to find so many killer old albums still in…Jan 6, 20201Jan 6, 20201
How Introductory Paragraphs Work in Creative NonfictionThinking about how to start your story is as important as the story you tell.Jan 5, 2020Jan 5, 2020
The Rise and Fall of the Atomic Era Architecture Called GoogieSearching for history, beauty, and my future on my deser street of broken dreams.Jan 5, 20201Jan 5, 20201