Category: Reflections
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But That’s the Fun of It: What 40+ Years of Def Leppard Taught Me About Resilience, Grit, and Longevity
How 1980s producers like Mutt Lange and Bob Rock turned the recording studio into an instrument—and the audio engineering secrets behind arena rock’s biggest albums.
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Prose & Power Chords Podcast: The Walk Itself – Dogs, Dads, and Shared Ground
Explore how slowing down reveals life’s subtle stories—from canine reunions at Morrissey Park to father-son walks and quiet lessons at Kaufman Lake.
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Prose & Power Chords Podcast: Lessons In Pop Culture And Life
This episode covers three territories: what deep craft and long-game thinking mean for creators, a week at sea where the real moments sneak up on you, and some pop culture reflections on the artists and stories that shaped a writer’s sensibility.
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Air-Conditioned Pyramids and Camel Mercy Kills: Lessons from Fifth-Grade Pulp Fiction
A hilarious look back at a fifth-grade short story packed with air-conditioned pyramids, tactical camel ambushes, and pure pulp action. Exploring this childhood artifact reveals surprising, uninhibited lessons about pacing, momentum, and reconnecting with the raw joy of creative writing.
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Belly Flops and Life Lessons: A Cruise Experience
A chaotic belly-flop contest, a waterlogged iPhone, and a sobering bike tour through Jamaica—life on a massive cruise ship is a wild mix of high-energy absurdity and unexpected solace. In this reflective essay, an author explores the strange dichotomies of floating resort life, discovering that the real treasure of an adventure lies in the quiet,…
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Intermittent Light
In a world that demands constant, blinding clarity, what do we find in the flickers? Intermittent Light explores the beauty, discomfort, and quiet revelations hidden within life’s most unpredictable moments.
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Thomas Kinkade: Miraculous Journey in 1988
In “A Village Christmas,” artist Thomas Kinkade shares a personal narrative alongside his enchanting holiday-themed artwork. The book illustrates idyllic winter scenes filled with glowing homes and bustling streets. Kinkade recounts pivotal miracles from 1988, including the birth of his daughter and his breakthrough art show. He reflects on his relationship with mentor Glenn Wessels,…
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Peace, Anglers, and Bugs Bunny: A Summer Evening at Kauffman Lake in Champaign
Some might think Kauffman Lake has an unkept look, but it would be hard to keep up with such a natural, earthy place. There’s food spilled on the bench I was sitting at as bugs attack the goo.
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Guest Post: Memories of the 1950s by Kassie Nudo
This write-up was done by my mom, Kassie Nudo, back in 2016. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011 and often talked about her parents and family and the farm she grew up on as a young girl. Something told me to have her write down these thoughts, while she was still capable of…
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Licence to Reflect: My Thoughts on Jimmy Buffett
God bless a guy who can sing, laugh, play guitar, drink, joke, smoke, write a book, fly a plane, paint, and open a bunch of hotels. It’s the American way.