Category: Miscellanea

Today I received my second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. I didn't run into the friend from my first dose, but there was a playful community energy in the air as we strangers recognized each other from waiting in line together exactly three weeks ago. One woman spoke up: "I waited in line right… Continue reading Second dose

One year ago today, I adopted a 13-pound dog and renamed him Hank, short for Henri Nouwen. About as soon as it became clear that the pandemic would make working from home a long-term reality, I began browsing the websites of local animal shelters for a dog. At that time it was difficult to adopt.… Continue reading Hank, year one

Yesterday I received my first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. It was one of the first warm days we've had in Chicago after a brutally long winter. I walked to the neighborhood clinic where I'd found an appointment, and the most direct route took me through a park I've been visiting daily this last… Continue reading First dose

Last night, an extraordinary sensation: I was on the couch, and the dog was sleeping adjacent to me, as is usually the case when I'm winding down before bed. Slowly the rapid (and unsettling) movements that often manifest in his face and breath and limbs when he's dreaming began to emerge. I began to feel… Continue reading Transmissions

A friend recently took a class on flower arrangement and gave me this bouquet for my birthday. Absolutely stunning! And she was so casual about it, this gorgeous eruption of colors and texture and fragrance.

A remarkable sight today: After walking the dog, we stopped on the porch with the front door open to practice a sit-stay command. He’s nearly mastered the skill inside, but for anxious dog who grew up in a neglectful home, maintaining the impulse-control and presence of mind that a sit-stay requires, in the midst of… Continue reading Transfiguration

I'm starting a blog for three reasons: First, I want to build a front porch on the internet.* Here's how Austin Kleon described blogging in 2017: "It feels good to have a spot to think out loud in public where people aren’t spitting and s****ing all over the place." I want a place where I… Continue reading Hello!