• Finding our Muse

    Around our first wedding anniversary, my wife and I decided that we wanted a dog. After successfully a houseplant alive for most of that year, we joked that a puppy would be the next step in the natural progression of

  • One mother’s bravery

    (This article also appeared at The Express) “If you ever decide to start smoking weed, let me know,” my mom beamed. I was sitting on a barstool on one side of the kitchen counter while my mom sat across from

  • Gratuity in the time of corona

    I have this one regular customer who’s been on my mind today. Prior to the coronavirus, prior to the shelter-in-place order, he may or may not have left a tip when he came in to my coffee shop—I, honestly, have

  • Making better coffee: chapter 2

    After procuring quality coffee, there is a bit of work involved in getting a great cup time and time again. There are a few variables at play that can make your life either easier or harder, and until maybe five

  • Sacrificing convenience

    I went grocery shopping today, which, historically, has been an easy task—go from point A to point B, purchase goods, return to point A—but it seems to get more and more difficult as time goes on. My wife was diagnosed

  • Parking relief on the horizon for City College

    (This article first appeared at the Express) Captain John McPeek of the Los Rios Police Department has a front-row seat for the congestion that happens outside of the parking structure every day. The department building is sandwiched between the first-floor parking

  • A Tuesday with Punch

    My grandfather passed away in December of 2019. He was one month shy of 96. I was named after him, in a way—while he was born Alexander Christopher, and I gladly carry on his middle name, everyone called him Punch.