Big blue dots are carefully placed six feet apart on the floor of my neighborhood cafe, Big Dog Coffee. As I stood on a dot waiting for my order, I said to the owner, Nikolay, that I look forward to … Continued
In her memoir, Hunger, Roxane Gay writes of romantic relationships, “…it’s a shame that the measure is what is not so bad instead of what is thriving and good.” That insight caught my attention because it’s true for so many … Continued
This very moment is everything I noticed yesterday that I had “Rolling Into Summer?” (with a question mark at the end) on my calendar for June 1-2. That’s because when I first penciled it in, I wasn’t sure that I … Continued
From maple festivals and everything pumpkin spice to Solstice celebrations and Seasonal Affective Disorder, our lives are very much influenced by the four seasons. Our moods can be impacted by shorter days or, say, by the rainiest year on record (hello, … Continued
Ten months ago, three days before Christmas, my wife and I moved into our new (old) home in Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood. Throughout our first year here, I’ve often thought about writing about our experience as new residents. Honestly, though, … Continued
From idea to bikes on the street in six months! Bike share ridership has been on the rise over the last few years. For those who don’t know, this is when a community has a fleet of bikes that are … Continued
Whiskey, kayaking, and the music of David Bowie are all things that I enjoy. But it would be fair to say that I’m not an aficionado when it comes to any of them. I add mixers to the whiskey, don’t … Continued
Recounting 16 Years of Life Yesterday, I had dinner at a restaurant I first tried nearly 16 years ago when I was just getting started in my community development work. I was 24-years-old and new to Pittsburgh’s South Side neighborhood … Continued
I watched the movie The Grand Seduction recently and have been thinking about it in the context of community ever since. Somehow this little indie movie about a Newfoundland village that tries to lure a doctor to plant roots has … Continued
I’ve spent much of this week trying to unpack (in both the literal and figurative senses) two fantastic professional experiences, both involving interacting with trail and tourism professionals of Atlantic Canada. The experiences: In April, spending a week in Gros … Continued