On Writing What You Know

I wonder if you, like me, were given this precious golden nugget of advice at school: Write what you know. A faultless piece of wisdom that successful writers such as Stephen King, JK Rowling, and William Shakespeare no doubt kept close to their hearts as they started out on their particular roads to wild acclaim. …

Goodbye, June Carter

If there is a rainbow bridge that transports beloved dogs across to their Reward, Miss June Carter will most certainly not be seen crossing it. Doing what was expected of her - even if it was for her obvious benefit - was not something Junie was interested in. June did her own thing: inscrutable, stubborn, …

Historic Lampasas, TX

Without the steady guiding hand of my wife, I would have bought every one of these things. Every. One. Does this mean I'm a little bit Texan now?

Blind Date

Small Change on Strangers is a blogger, pug obsessive, part-time beard grower. Lady Small Change is the woman who loves him. They meet here at Quality Sea Food for a staycation "blind date". Small Change on Lady Small Change What were you hoping for?An exploration of the unknown, to learn a little more about the …

Historic Lampasas, TX

Some signs at the local store in welcoming and friendly Lampasas, TX.

On Tomorrow’s World

The BBC show Tomorrow’s World played a large part in my childhood. It was a science show, showing us the gadgets and tech that would be a part of our future. Mostly, the stuff it showed seemed to disappear, never to be heard of again. A promise of a utopian, technology-filled future, that was destined …

Skeleton and Dino

Just Austin. Keeping it weird.

Vacation Diary, June 2021

The Student had not yet seen the house-in-progress, so we took the opportunity to get him up there. As it’s a Monday, of course, people are working on the house, so we can’t take him inside. And that, for me, is the magic: this is the frame of the house we are going to have. …

On What To Write

I think I write, more than anything, because I like how it feels afterwards. I like the feeling of I can do this. It’s not a feeling that comes easily to me. For most of each day, I’m feeling like I’m doing things I don’t understand, I’m not good at, or really dislike doing. So, …

The Plumber: A Snowpocalypse 2021 Story

Winter 2021 was a bad one in Austin, TX. One for the history books. Here in our tiny bubble of small consequences, we didn't suffer as much as many people. But this is a blog about semi-humorous/semi-autobiographical anecdotes. So this is what you get... I’d been discussing my son’s broad career interests with some friends …