I don’t have a lot of romantic notions about camping — except when it comes to Annabelle. I’d like to think that she’ll look back on our trip last week as part of the Summer She Turned 9 — the summer she danced with her Gaga, performed in a play version of “Diary of A [...]

My old friend Tim is popping up everywhere these days. He was the staff photographer at Phoenix New Times when I arrived in 1993 (a position that sadly hasn’t existed in years) and we pal-ed around for a few years, working on stories together and wasting time the way people waste time before they have [...]

Going through Annabelle’s First Day of School papers this evening, suddenly I felt a little nauseous. There, amidst the cafeteria menu and the spelling list, was a sheet informing me that, according to Arizona law, fourth, fifth and sixth graders in public school will be required as of August 23 to recite a paragraph from [...]

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“Excuse me, we need more towels, please.” — To the volunteer ranger at the campground we stayed at last week in Yellowstone. Later in the week, she tried to ask for more forks (indeed, we’d run out of plastic forks) but I was onto her and stopped her before she could say anything). The ranger [...]

We are home. Safe and sound. No bears — not even a sighting, to the dismay of three members of our little foursome. And my histrionics? Totally justified, in my sick little mind. In fact, I’m already getting worked up for next year’s camping trip — there is sure to be one next summer, if [...]

It’s 4:15 AM and I’m writing on my iPhone from the small bathroom of our hotel room here in Jackson Hole-adacent. My family’s snoozing away. I have not had a full night’s sleep since before Annabelle was born and the fact that in the morning we will begin a four night camping trip in Yellowstone [...]