I grew up with toy trains. My dad started his first layout when I was three, and by the time I had memories, trains were in my blood. His early …

I’ve had tinnitus for as long as I can remember. No idea why. Genetics? Inner ear damage? Too many fevers as a kid? Who knows. But it’s not the annoying …

I’ve always struggled with dense books, especially ones packed with personalities. My brain prefers a clear, focused thread, like how the British cracked Enigma or the science behind raising Rainbow …

I get to be creative every day in both my work and play and for whatever reason I sometimes lose that creative energy and get stuck. Being creative over many …

There always a first for everything. This morning I was fishing at Crissy Field for halibut, trying my best to get that bite which is ever so rare. It takes …

I have to admit, it bugs me when people call a streetcar a bus. Don’t they know the difference? Rubber tires versus steel wheels. It’s not that hard. But I …

When I built the Redwoods and Pacific, I made sure to add plenty of bridges. This deck truss bridge is my favorite. It spans a deep canyon, floor to ceiling. …

Politics are terrible right now. No way around it. But that’s not a reason to stop creating. If anything, it’s a reason to make more. In my studio, there’s a …

Paxidermy is my take on taxidermy. No dead animals. Just joy. I sculpt happy creatures with paper mache and other materials, focusing on peace, whimsy, and expression. Inspired by Theodore …

Carville by the Sea was a strange and wonderful part of early San Francisco. Retired horse cars and cable cars turned into homes, social clubs, and more. People bought them …

In high school, I was set on studying biology. Then, in 1976, a buddy said, “Hey, you gotta see what’s in the third-floor utility closet.” I expected a prank. Instead, …

I’ve been reading How to Be Avant-Garde: Modern Artists and the Quest to End Art by Morgan Falconer. It’s been lighting my mind on fire, so I’ve been interrogating ChatGPT …

In September 2022 Joyce and I took an amazing trip on the Rocky Mountaineer. It traveled from Denver to Moab through some of the most spectacular scenery on the old …

Ever wonder why you chase so many ideas? Why your curiosity pulls you down endless rabbit holes? Do half-finished projects haunt you? You’re probably a multipotentialite (also multi-passionate, polymath, and …

In this 4 minute video I show how I built a ferry slip headwork for my Redwoods and Pacific Railroad. Even though the tracks of the ferry slip end at a …

My first automata, a prototype. Inspired by Paul Spooner’s San Francisco and the San Andreas Fault. It’s pictured on page 133 of Rodney Peppé’s automata book. The base is wood. …

Poke poling takes me back. I first read about it in a saltwater fishing book back in the ’70s. Sounded strange and I had to try it. Been at it …

Ever stare at a blank page, hoping creativity will show up? I have. It sucks. That’s why I built a technique that changed everything. I call it Meditative Ideation. It’s …

I make Flux cards. Each is a pocket-sized prompt for play. Ten squares. Ten images. You perform the art. Each image is a nudge. An airplane? Maybe you fly around …

Before Tik Tok, before Reels, I was making these little shorts. I have a natural allergy to phone orientation so all of my shorts were in traditional landscape mode. Enjoy. …

Ever stumble across one of those vintage electronics shops online? The kind with pages of old parts and mystery boxes full of vacuum tubes—stuff you don’t need but suddenly can’t …

This past year, I tried something new. Making paper ghost signs for buildings on my model railroad. It worked better than I expected. One sign in particular stood out. The …

You don’t exist for anyone’s pleasure. You are not a shape to be molded, not a canvas for their brush, not a mirror reflecting their comfort. Who you are is …

I take a lunchtime walk to 28th and Ortega. I start at the top of the reservoir. Most days, the fog is in. But on clear days, I see the …

Did you know you can grow luffas in San Francisco? I didn’t. I always thought luffa (aka loofah) sponges came from the sea. Turns out, they’re actually related to cucumbers. …