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. …

Back in the late ‘80s, I got a set of Derwent watercolor pencils. I didn’t use water with them. Just drew as-is. Even so, I loved the textures and realism …

Ancient rhythms sang A sea of blue wings Named for a Persian King With daybreak, wings pulse Lupine’s pleasant companion Never far from surf’s plume Famous to the few who …

In a previous post, I talked about catching eels with my grandpa using a clod of worms. But that wasn’t the only unusual way I caught them. The Wümme River …

When I was three, my dad got his first model railroad. Märklin. The legendary German brand. His collection started with an express steam engine, some passenger cars, and a few …

The Everything Conference last August 2024 was a game-changer. I met fellow multipotentialites, swapped ideas, and left more fired up than ever. No one blinks when you say, “I’m interested …

I live near the ocean in San Francisco. Foggy summers might make solar panels seem like a bad idea. But ours have worked great. Installed in 2008, and we haven’t …

One of the best things about having your own art show or residency? The recommendations. Other artists see your work and say, Hey, have you heard of…? That’s how I …

Back in the 1970s, I visited my Opa in Germany. We fished on the Wümme in Bremen for European eel. He had a clever way to catch them. No hooks. …

Metson Lake in Golden Gate Park was my spot. On a calm day, the water turned into a perfect mirror, reflecting the trees like a William Wendt painting. One tree …

(Continued from Part One) Did I finish everything I set out to make? Almost. As always, new ideas popped up. I needed to fill a whole shipping container, my makeshift …

Five years ago, my artist residency began… but I didn’t realize the anniversary had passed until today. I still can’t believe it happened. Six years ago, I wasn’t even calling …

You sit down at your studio table to create. But first, you have to be here. Fully. Distractions pull at you—notifications, obligations, self-doubt. Ignore them! Creativity needs presence. It’s in …

I rented a boat recently at a local lake. One of the perks of getting older? Senior discounts. In this case, $12.50 off. When I checked in, I told the …

In 1977, personal computers weren’t a thing yet. But I had Fred Stark. He was my high school teacher. Physics, electronics, and as it turned out, computers. His classroom (room …

When I built the floor-to-ceiling canyon on the HO-scale Redwoods and Railroad in 1997, I had some friends come over and help apply the plaster. To make the canyon, I …

A few years ago I created a form where one of the questions was asking for a specific code (specifically, a NAICS code). The problem was that there were almost …

In the summer I go fishing at Crissy Field at least once a week and I often think about some of the fascinating history of the field. During WWII the …

I had mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to create a balcony for one of my small buildings. I’m happy to report I’m almost all the way there. …

Spring and summer mornings at Crissy Field are my favorite. I fish at least once a week, and one lure consistently delivers: the Storm Searchbait Minnow. It’s got the right …

It’s been about two months since Doug passed away suddenly. He was only 63, just a few months younger than me. His passing has hit me hard. He was over …