I recently wrote a brief comparison of houses vs condos, both of which with various pros. However, there are three smaller things I’ve come to appreciate about our new house, and I’m still learning about a few of them. Our house has a central vacuum system built into the walls. Instead of carrying the vacuum … Read more
This is cross-posted on the Stonemaier Games website, but it leans towards personal, so I thought I would share it here too. *** I made a huge intentional shift in my life in 2011. I’m now 45 years old, and looking back I realize how distinctly different my life was before and after my 30th … Read more
Last year we learned of a need at the World Bird Sanctuary for an owlet aviary designed from the ground up. The concept is that there is an adult owl at WBS, Archimedes, who cannot be released to the wild and happens to be really good at raising owlets so that they can thrive when … Read more
A few weeks ago, we bought a house. We weren’t moving far–just a 15-minute drive, still in St. Louis–but it still meant packing up everything we owned from our small condo and getting it over to the new place, whether by car or in the hands of the movers. The movers, by the way, were … Read more
I’ve known for a while that this day would come: The current recommended age for a man’s first colonoscopy is 45, so I signed up after my annual checkup and underwent the procedure last week. Overall, the experience was entirely fine. It was certainly different than anything I’ve done before (mostly in terms of the … Read more
Perhaps this is an odd question, but I’m genuinely curious. Here’s some context: I had no idea until recently why someone would put tape on their mouth while sleeping, but then I heard someone mention that it really helped their snoring and clenching, two things I do almost every night. That alone made me intrigued … Read more
I don’t typically think about New Year’s resolutions, but I have one for 2026: I’d like to work on my patience. For most things, I’m not a patient person. I highly value my time, and I try to value other people’s time—I consider that part of being a considerate human. I was recently in a … Read more
We recently watched the second season of Nine Perfect Strangers, a drama/mystery about people going to a resort to work through their troubles. Instead of the sunny paradise of season one, Nicole Kidman’s character invites the new guests to the frigid cold of Bavaria, an interesting change in scenery. The show focuses on the use … Read more
I’ve known for a long time that I have some specific social anxiety. I first had an inkling of it at happy hours in my 20s, as I found small talk (especially among mostly strangers) to be exhausting. I chalked it up to introversion at the time. I attended a wedding around 15 years ago … Read more
Two years ago I said goodbye to my beloved cat, Biddy. I now know that I won’t ever get over the loss or move past it–it’s just part of my life. As much as I wish Biddy were physically still with me, he truly continues to be in my heart and thoughts every day. Today … Read more