etc
-
-
-
Flock Hill Bouldering
I’ve been getting out into the high Canterbury plains recently for some great outdoor climbing. Flock Hill in particular is considered a world-class boulder field, by NZ natives and visiting climbers alike. Compared to most rock climbing, Flock is weird. There are a lot of sloping holds that are hard to get a handle on,…
-
Overhead: A Short Story
I’m happy to say that I’ve just posted my first work to Amazon’s Kindle store. It’s a piece of short fiction called Overhead, and it’s a 15-minute read with a big dose of absurdist fun. I’m offering it for free until the end of January, when it goes up in price to a whopping 99 cents. Click…
-
Christchurch’s vibrant streets
Christchurch might be one of New Zealand’s biggest towns, but for the most part it still has the small-town feel that visitors to this country find alternately endearing and annoying. Bars here close at 11 p.m. most nights. People shop for groceries barefoot. And a 15-minute drive in almost any direction will have you back…
-
Climbing, surfing, and curiosity in Christchurch, NZ
For the first time in two years, I’m living what in the Western world is known as a normal life. Apartment, job, car, weekends off. It’s been a while — I’ve been traveling for fun, sleeping in tents, traveling for work, sleeping in hostels and generally staying in motion for the better part of the…
-
On melting snow (and embracing the burnt bits in my camping cookware)
Quick story: my most recent hike was a simple one — a quick 19-mile loop in Western PA. An overnight trip. Not enough elevation change to mention, no route-finding, lots of water, good camping. A breeze. So when I turned up at camp and proceeded to knock over my water bottle and spill my last…
-
This I Believe
Last year, I wrote and recorded a ‘This I Believe” statement for the local public radio station here in State College. For a variety of reasons, I never made it to the WPSU office to record my piece, so instead I think I will just post it here: “I believe in being a collector, even…
-
A Gray Penn State Winter
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_mTDzNrtPw]My friend Ivan and I spent a couple hours collecting footage for a timelapse video. Everything here was shot on the Penn State campus or in downtown State College. For our first try, we’re pretty pleased with how it turned out. There will definitely be more to come.