Monthly Archives: July 2015

Why Do You Write?

Chuck Wendig asks this over at Terrible Minds. It’s his non-fiction flash-fiction challenge. I enjoy that idea, so I thought I’d try to tackle the subject.

The simple answer is I write because I enjoy it. And because I need to write.

I’ve always enjoyed writing. I’ve always needed to write. But I haven’t always done it.

Funny, isn’t it?

I remember hauling a journal around most of my life, and writing in it constantly. I remember wanting to be a lot of things when I grew up, but somehow writing was always involved. I thought I was going to major in English in college (because I didn’t know creative writing degrees were a thing you could get), until suddenly a fantastic teacher changed my life and I ended up in biology.… Continue reading →

Five Fascinating Links

Food: Whole Foods, Expensive Cheese, and the Dilemma of Cheap Prison Labor.

I had no idea public-private enterprises for prison labor use existed (again). It seems like a sticky situation, in that I can understand the arguments that this is a good thing and a bad thing. It’s definitely something for me to further mull over. And I’d love to know your thoughts on the matter, please.

A cheese board with built in cutlery. Alas, it won't help me cut through the ethical problems with so many cheeses.

Beer: The Defining Reason to Talk About Sam Adams Not Being ‘Craft’

“Craft” is a tricky word in the beer industry and in the beer community. You may have heard about (or participated in!) the debates around “craft vs ‘crafty’,” but the conversation seems to have died down some in the years since that press release was put out.… Continue reading →

Beer & Food Pairing: New Belgium Eric’s Ale & Smoked Pecans

While listening to the best speech at Beer Bloggers Conference, I was sipping a beer from that company. Specifically, Kim Jordan (co-founder and CEO) of New Belgium Brewing Company was giving the keynote address and I was sipping on Eric’s Ale. A few sips in I was diving into my bag for snacks. Not long after that, I was quietly demanding people sip and snack with me. (I even slipped one nice woman some pecans for later, since she wasn’t legally allowed to taste the beer while working the event.)

This comes about from reading, over on Getting Ready to Go, the packing list Matthew and Molly of Bub Gourmand shared. It’s from having been to beer bloggers con last year and knowing what it’s like (read: full of beer).… Continue reading →

You Know My Heart

The internet is an amazing place. It’s brought me a number of wonderful things, not the least of which is new friends. Some of whom I have never (and may never) met. This cocktail is named for the words of one of those new friends, Yoda. “You Know My Heart” are her words to me once, in reference to this cocktail and other things in life.

Yoda has given me a lot of good advice in the time I’ve known her, and we’ve shared several laughs. She trusted me to edit important writing for her. We may never have met, but we’re texting or messaging each other at least twice a week. She’s fantastic.

This cocktail also could have been called, “Don’t Summer in Montana,” in reference to my friend Nicky repeatedly picking a horse, Summer in Montana, who had a tendency for awhile to forget how to win races.… Continue reading →

Smittytown: Chicagoist’s Beer of the Week

One of my quiet plans for 2015 was to do more guest posting elsewhere. I haven’t done much over the last five years, and I recently realized that I’d like to. It’s fun to think of what I might bring to other audiences, and to meet that challenge.

Thus, I was so pleased to get to write this week’s Beer of the Week column, and photograph the beer, for Chicagoist.

It’s obvious, when you read it, why I picked Smittytown. I love that beer, and I love the brewery.

Please, check it out and let me know what you think of it!… Continue reading →