Earlier today I listened to Tim Ferriss’ conversation with Arthur Brooks. (Listen to it here) Much of the conversation was about happiness. Brooks is a professor at Harvard focused on the science of happiness. Happiness eludes me but I find pleasure enough to distract me. So I took notes. The two explored many insights into…
Category: NonFiction
Let the Ghosts Lull You to Sleep: Finding Calm in Old Movies
Do you ever have trouble falling asleep because your mind is racing or you feel too wired from the day? Some nights when sleep evades me, I’ve found comfort and calm in an unusual source – leaving an old movie playing softly in the background. It started with 39 Steps, an old Hitchcock movie. There’s…
Why Jackie Brown is Tarantino’s Best Film
With his unique style and over-the-top violence, Quentin Tarantino has crafted some incredible films over the years. But in my opinion, his most nuanced and compelling work is 1997’s Jackie Brown. Now available to watch on Amazon Prime, Jackie Brown stands out for its restraint and subtlety compared to Tarantino’s other films. I’ve always liked…
Should You Self-Publish Your Book? My Journey to Making a Decision
Deciding how to publish my book has been one of the biggest decisions I’ve faced as an author. I wrote a compilation of short stories set in Kansas, which can be a harder sell than other genres or settings. After researching my options, I realized self-publishing made the most sense for my book. As a…
Emotional Directorial Debuts from Female Filmmakers’ Personal Stories
I recently watched two poignant films that pulled me into their intimate worlds and left me emotionally drained (in a good way) – Past Lives and Aftersun. Both movies derive from the personal histories of their talented first-time female directors, Celine Song and Charlotte Wells respectively. It’s remarkable, arguably the best movies of the last…
Discover the Beauty and Charm of Lake Carmi State Park in Vermont
We camped at Lake Carmi last weekend, which is a Vermont State park. You may not be familiar with the park and the lake so I’m going to lead off with 10 facts about it. -Lake Carmi is the fourth largest natural lake located entirely in Vermont at 285 acres. – The lake was created from…
The Man Who Hates Good Movies: Armond White
Among the most infamous contrarian film critics is Armond White, who seems to take particular pleasure in defying critical consensus and panning beloved movies. White pulls no punches when reviewing Oscar contenders and box office smashes alike.
Neill Blomkamp: The Director who Disappeared. (But he’s back)
I first discovered the work of director Neill Blomkamp back in 2005 when his sci-fi short film Alive in Joburg took the internet by storm. This was pre-iPhone and just at the inception of YouTube. Even today, over 15 years later, I still remember being utterly captivated by that 6-minute short. The innovative CGI, the…
A Sad Tale of a Wild Bunny
We have had a frequent wild bunny visitor all summer long on our property, triggering many a Ring notification. This little guy has hopped around our yard, nibbling on grass, enjoying our banana pepper plants and bringing a smile to our faces. Sadly, this past Saturday night his story took a tragic turn. I arrived…
The Digital Nomad’s Guide to Working Remotely in Burlington, VT
One of the perks of being a Freelancer or a Work from Homer is you don’t really need to work from home. If you’re visiting or traveling through Burlington, Vermont, this charming small city on Lake Champlain has plenty of great spots to park yourself and get some remote work done. Here are a few…