Essays

Earlier today I was inching through stop-and-go traffic on the interstate when I noticed a state patrol officer traveling alone in the HOV lane. No lights. No siren. Just one person in a patrol car moving steadily past the rest

Anyone who has spent time backpacking learns an important lesson very quickly: Weight matters. Before setting out on a long trail, every item gets scrutinized. Do I really need this? How often will I use it? Is there a lighter option? What

“As long as a piece of string.” That was my English teacher’s answer when a student asked how long an essay had to be.

My brother, who somehow became both an engineer and a musician, has a phrase he reminds me of often. “You have to tune the instrument.” Coming from him, it makes perfect sense. Engineers know that neglected equipment eventually fails. Musicians know that

Twenty-five years after September 11. Twenty-nine floors up. Fifty-four people waiting on me. What anchors do you reach for when the world turns upside down?

The inner critic showed up with an editor’s visor and a clipboard. Everyone is writing about Odysseus, she said. Half right is not a note.

A preschool teacher declined to warn the children away from the swings: "Why? They only do it once." I gave my kids glass cups for the same reason. Discipline and disciple come from the same root — and the tuition rises with time.

A defibrillator, a forged excuse note, and what my mother understood about love that I didn't.

A number two graduate students invented in 1994, a man who should have had thirty more years, and a girl who was given no details at all.

A dog leash, a dishwasher drawer, and the only time Odysseus plans ahead.