Sep 10, 20223 minWriting and EditingClutterConsider the opening lines of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of the Seven Gables: Halfway down a by-street of one of our New England...
Sep 4, 20222 minWriting and EditingSimplicityIn 1942, during World War II, the United States government issued a blackout order: "Such preparations shall be made as will completely...
Aug 27, 20223 minPersonal UpdatesConfessionOne of my favorite views in Knoxville is from the parking lot at U.T.'s visitor's center. Nestled into the hill on the west side of...
Aug 20, 20224 minWriting and EditingThe TransactionOn the first day of every semester, before going over the syllabus, I ask my English 101 students to introduce themselves. “Tell us your...
Aug 13, 20221 minPersonal UpdatesJust startJust start, they said. And so I did. After years of procrastinating, on a day when the power went out—when there was no internet; no...
May 20, 20181 minPoetryWriter’s BlockI don't actually have writer's block, but I am packing to go to California and don't have time for a normal post today. I originally...