Feets of Strength

summer’s pretty much here and it’s time to lose the shoes

The Darnedest Things

seeing the world through the words of my kids

The Prodigal Sun

it’s nice to see the sun finally doing its job

Nest In Peace

my cohabitation with some feathered friends

The Hole Shebang

golly, have you noticed how many potholes we’ve got?

Snow to Anger

fostering a true appreciation for the noble snow day

Let the Chips Fall

the annual battle has commenced and it’s time to break some ice

The Day Boynton Called

a random phone call from a kind-of-famous writer

You're All Invited to the Nerd Party!

people need to share, not hoard their nerdy, nerdy love

Steak and Fake Lobster

breaking bread with mom and dad, supper club style

Serious Like an Art Attack

that funny feeling we feel when we try to talk about art

Letting It Slide

good reasons to brave the slippery slopes

Sounds of the Season

it’s beginning to sound a lot like lo-fi Christmas

Down with Brown

coping with the annual risk of a Brown Christmas

A Christmas Story Story

please don’t shoot your eye out with this holiday classic

Say No to November

maybe it’s time we brought this month down a notch

Backyard Magic

what to do upon seeing something you cannot explain

The French Correction

can one great restaurant answer our local prayers?

Just Tossing This Out There

enjoying our mighty and majestic rivers in the simplest of ways

The Paperclip Theory

tending to the emotions of the world around us

Cool Memories

when a sno-cone isn't just a sno-cone

No New is Bad News

we owe it to ourselves and the human race to never stop learning

Surfing the Park

thou shall not judge the laptop-using park lover

Four Chippewa Valley Places I Love to Visit in the Summer

... In late summer when everything’s all overgrown, the farm fields along County F would be bursting with green and the clouds were just white! and the sky was just blue! ...

Wind Damage

when seeing through the trees is a little too easy

Once Burned, Twice Awesome

somewhat true adventures in yard work and skin damage

The Moment of Tooth

losing a tooth is a big deal, but losing three...

Down Under

digging in the dirt to find a brighter tomorrow

The Swing of Things

the utter importance of the humble swing set

Mow to Anger

exactly what does Mother Nature think she's doing?

The Great Revelation

the #1 story pitched to Volume One over the past decade

Slamstalgia

confessions of a former poetry slam master

What's in Store

making friends and enemies while you buy groceries

A Season for Smashing

memories of late winter walking across thin ice

My Winter Hit List

these dumb winter drivers shall taste my icy vengeance

Fashion Bashin'

a good, hard look in the mirror

Twenty Eleven

a look back at stuff that happened in the last 365 days

Ski Dooing It

a fascination with family snowmobiles

Every Inch of Christmas

’tis the season for bashing your neighbor’s decor

Attention, Please

how do community fixtures become invisible?

On the Hunt

killing some basic hunter stereotypes

Scare Raising

tracking the area’s fastest-moving Halloween scene

Boys & Girls

what do you do when your boy acts ... like a boy?

The Best of the Best

the dangerous business of calling something “the best”

Cram Session

sharing wisdom one can only acquire in the school of life

At Cassidy's

lessons learned at a long-gone temple of grocery goodness

Hitting the List

exactly what did you think you’d do this summer?

Backsliding

recent studies show modern playgrounds have hidden dangers

A Conditioned Position

the cost we all pay for a sweat-free summer

Drinking at the Movies

arguments against beer-serving movie theaters get a bad review

Dressing the Part

from yours truly, Self-Consciousness in Wisconsin

Troubling Trees

I find myself concerned by the city’s leaf-bearing citizens

Keep Your Shirt On

for some kids, going swimming is no day at the beach

On Facebook & Phones

living in and loving a world of digital doohickies

The Creative Curse

an epic battle to make something new

A Basket Case

having fun doing the last thing I thought would ever be fun

Here Comes the Mud

keeping it clean is not what nature intended

The Night Before Easter

the Easter Bunny and I go way back

Whining 'Til the Plows Come Home

there is no good alternative to current city snow removal met

My Super Bowl Snack Time

while much of Wisconsin chowed down on cheese doodles, I had a different plan

The Other Side of Winter

loving winter means embracing its dark side ... meaning dirty snow

What Happened on New Year's Eve?

an adventure in waking up at 2am on the first day of 2011

2011: A Year in Review

a few highlights from the first year of a whole new decade

Decking the Halls

Christmas has demanded that I stop doing housework

When Winter Attacks

with the SnoTool XXL, you’ll be more than a match for Old Man Winter

My Best Thanksgiving Memory

a huge dinner, my family, and a busted Nerf ball

Big Thanks

five things I’m happy we have

The Horror

without VHS tapes and HBO, my childhood would have been a lot less traumatic

School's in Session

the kid is off to school and my anxiety is off the charts

The Summer of My Discontent

You voted summer as the Chippewa Valley’s best season. You were wrong.

This Percussive Life

passing a love of sweet drum solos on to my children

Overgrown

as summer draws to a close it’s time to appreciate what an awful mess it made

Fighting for the Right to Be Right

even as a young lad, I knew beyond all reason how right I am

A Tale of Lost Lunch

a shining moment for my wife in an otherwise not-so-shiny situation

Can't Happen Here

three little words we all need to get over

Back Attack

something strange is happening at the base of my spine

Unrolling Summer

everything I know about summer in Wisconsin I learned from laying sod

Topping It Off

will my search for a bike helmet take me to Awesome Town or Dorkville?

Why Doesn't the Kid Cross the Street?

the fear and loathing involved with letting our kids roam beyond the backyard

A Mighty Wind

strong gusts of anxiety push me through life

The Sports Story

I’ve never gotten along with sports, and perhaps I never will

Life Somewhat on the Farm

a chance to grow after a childhood filled with farm indifference

Bang the Drum

my adventures in the crazy world of band class

Jacket Required

when spring appears, so does a trusty old metaphor for change

One Car All Stars

living the one-car family lifestyle is easy ... if you’re me

Stepping Out

perhaps it’s time to visit our geographical neighbors

Composting Boasting

winter time is no time to stop biodegrading stuff

Hand to Hand

I guess raising kids means getting your hands dirty

What Lies Beneath

I live my life directly above the object of my dread

The Sappiest Time of Year

keeping it real on the Christmas tree scene

Fighting the First Wave of Christmas

I’ve seen decorations up before Halloween. Why, dear god, why?

Swamp Things!

when I go hunting, I find a lot more than deer

Halloween!

the defining holiday in a young boy’s dorky life

A Bat Story

it’s a good time of year to talk about bats. so let’s do that

Ooh, It's So Good

the humble church cookbook contains many hidden pleasures

Complexly the Best

given the right parameters, I’m often the best at certain things

I Did Not Grow Up Taking Walks

I grew up doing a lot of things, but my feet were seldom involved

I Never Did Homecoming

maybe I was wrong to avoid that big parking lot party

The Valley Gets a New Listener

upon the birth of my second kid, I’m thinking about music

Twitter Is Not Dumb

most people talking about Twitter don’t seem to get it