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My life as a professional geologist began the week before I turned 24, since then I’ve spent a significant portion of the last 35 years in the air, traveling for work and play. Whether in a [...]

Don’t Forget the Earplugs: The man seated in 19F must be lonely. Hard to believe with the six kids he just told the passenger next to him (19E, it’s a full flight) he has. If he’s not lonely, how [...]

This post is related to the last one I wrote, more than two months ago now. It was about procrastination. Sure, I’ve been busy. Who isn’t? It went something like this: Finding the Words? I’ll [...]

I was going to write a post about procrastination today, but I decided to put it off.   . . .

She can change your life. For me, that teacher’s name is Nancy Erley. The first time I met her was brief, just a short exchange after hearing her insightful presentation on crew communication at [...]

In the San Juan Islands of Washington state, there are many lovely anchorages to drop a hook. Some would say Sucia Island is one of the loveliest. Part of a three-island marine state park, it has [...]

“Don’t you get bored?” a coworker on a field job asked. “Just sitting on a boat all summer?” Clearly he had never owned or lived on a boat. There’s never nothing to do. “Just sitting” only [...]

Last week, I wrote about two disciplines I practice on a regular basis, and how they’ve helped me “become what I practice.” Today, I’ll explore two more. Engine Checks: Although Kagán is a [...]

One of my many teachers of writing or yoga or life, said to me, “You become what you practice.” I’ve never forgotten the phrase, and I believe it. There are several little disciplines I practice, [...]

In my novel, Inundation, Will Ross, who is an engineering geologist beginning work in east central Turkey on a troubled dam, discovers a travertine deposit on his first day in the field. Kayakale [...]