Journal

I have struggled to come up with an appropriate way to share the big news that happened recently. I had considered a romantic ode attempting to articulate my feelings, but I soon realized that this was bound to fail. I thought of resorting to humor, but this too seemed inappropriate. Breaking the news through the […]

There is this magical place that I found. The food is inexpensive, the people are friendly, and the bucolic landscape recalls a simpler time. The airfare is expensive and this remote land is difficult to reach, but the inhabitants are friendly and generous and, surprisingly, happy that you have come to enjoy their small slice […]

Slow Boat to Margaritaville 2008 Regata del Sol al Sol On April 23rd, I flew from Italy to Tampa, Florida to participate in the 2008 Regata del Sol al Sol. Bob Gruber, skipper of Summerwind, an Allied Seawind 32 ketch, had asked me along as navigator for the race. Bob is a good friend and […]

Megan and I arrived back in Bologna on Sunday night. My parents picked us up at the train station and took us out for our first truly good Italian meal. The next morning my mom dropped us back at the train station and we rode a couple of hours to Venice. Upon arrival, we spent […]

In an attempt to provide a comprehensive description of my recent trip to Italy, I have asked my girlfriend, Megan, to contribute a journal entry describing her visit to Rome. What follows is her account of our first three days in Italy. It should be noted that despite my complete absence from the entry, I […]

Within 15 minutes of arriving in Rome, we were robbed. In all my years of traveling, I have never had anything stolen, but less than 24 hours after touching down in Italy, Megan’s wallet was snatched. Occurring so early in our trip, the theft tended to negatively color our impressions of the eternal city. Seen […]

A lot has happened over the past couple of months. During the month of December, I did not spend a single weekend in California. My travels took me to Columbus, Ohio, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Onset, Massachusetts, and Omaha, Nebraska. As usual, I have been negligent in posting regular journal updates. So, in an attempt to […]

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. Along with July 4th and Christmas, this is the time of year when I am usually surrounded by family. Considering how frequently both my family and I tend to move, this holiday often involves travel. Over the years, I have spent Thanksgiving in Denver, Memphis, Kentucky, […]

It has been a year since I left the boat in New Zealand and returned to the Unites States. In contrast to prior years, during the past year I have exchanged the threat of being in close proximity to hurricanes to being relatively close to rampant fires. Instead of haggling with natives for disturbingly inexpensive […]

There is a theory that posits that the key to a happy life is to establish a satisfying flow of activity. A stimulating job, loyal friends, and a caring family facilitate a meaningful existence that drifts by in a series of enjoyable days. For me, this philosophy holds some truth, though a key ingredient is […]