You've Got a Friend in Me: Rethinking Our Relationship with the Natural World
To change the world requires us to radically alter the way we think about our relationship with it. See what that means in this week's piece.
Alexa Distefano: A Profile in Student Activism
And yet, Alexa has beat overwhelming odds to become who she is today. She didn’t grow up in a home that encouraged a sustainable lifestyle/behavior, or even one that displayed an awareness of such. She grew up in a household where mom struggled, and struggles, with addiction and mental health issues—nearly 20% of Americans live with a mental illness, and nearly 50% of all Americans will experience a mental health related issue in their lifetime (#endstigma)—and a father who was supportive of pretty much anything, even quitting
Australia Burning: What’s Happening and How to Help
Australia is burning. How bad is it? What can we do?
Hungry for Love: Love and Secrets in Alma Katsu’s ‘The Hunger’
What is love? Among other questions, Alma Katsu's horror novel 'The Hunger' deconstructs the concept. In world where everyone possesses the ability to choose to be monstrous, how do we choose right? More importantly, once we become monsters, is there redemption? One way to find out.
Broken Rider: The Art of Getting up After a Fall
“You’re gettin’ too old to be doin’ this shit!” That’s my wife, giving me the ol’, “I told you so” […]
The Promise of Work and the Work of Promises
In this post, a guest blogger, "The Peripatetic", responds to and builds on a previous post by Mountain Buddha. What happens, they ask, to society in a world that increasingly removes the one thing required for relationships: people?
The Art of Solitude: How to Be Alone in a World Full of People
Too often, we associate being alone with negativity. We associate being alone with loneliness, depression, brooding, etc. There is certainly […]
Level II Fun (Part 2): Out of the Pain Cave, Into the Light
If you’re new to this blog and haven’t yet read Level II Fun, Part I, you might want to go […]
The Magic Bus: Living and Dying on the Stampede Trail
Another hiker has died trying to reach the magic bus, the bus made famous by the 2007 Sean Penn film […]
Level II Fun (Part 1): The Pain Cave
Why do we consciously choose to do things that cause us pain in the moment, only in retrospect to look back and say, "You know what? That was fun." The outdoors community refers to this as level II fun. Some of the answers may be found here.
How (Not) to Give a Wedding Gift
What does a Nature lover and adventure writer gift to friends for their wedding? It may not be what you think. The next installment in the How (Not) To series is a little funny, a little serious, and all good. Names and deets have been changed to protect the innocent.
How to Build a Home: Taste the Rainbow Part Two
We who are asking to expand these definitions to create a more inclusive atmosphere are not also demanding that the industry eliminate the grandiose; rather, we ask that the humble also be part of what it means to adventure.
Emergency Blog Post: Trump’s Attack on Our National Parks
Let me first say that this piece will not really be political. At least, I don’t think so. What it […]
Why The Humanities are Still King
When people hear that someone is majoring in English, chances are they think, “Oh, you are going to teach.” Or, […]
The Contemplative Life: Learning to Value Denkwerk
What happens when a society stops valuing thinking as work? What happens when commodities become more important than the people that produce them?
The ‘Adults’ in the Room: How Children Will Save the Planet
What happens when the "adults" in the room fail us? Children step up. Will they be the planet's salvation? It looks like that might be the case.
Proud to Be
Getting back into the swing after two broken arms
Australia Burning: What’s Happening and How to Help
Australia is burning. How bad is it? What can we do?
Alexa Distefano: A Profile in Student Activism
And yet, Alexa has beat overwhelming odds to become who she is today. She didn’t grow up in a home that encouraged a sustainable lifestyle/behavior, or even one that displayed an awareness of such. She grew up in a household where mom struggled, and struggles, with addiction and mental health issues—nearly 20% of Americans live with a mental illness, and nearly 50% of all Americans will experience a mental health related issue in their lifetime (#endstigma)—and a father who was supportive of pretty much anything, even quitting
You've Got a Friend in Me: Rethinking Our Relationship with the Natural World
To change the world requires us to radically alter the way we think about our relationship with it. See what that means in this week's piece.
After Forever: The World After Covid-19
As Wildlife begin to explore urban communities, and our skies clear of toxic smog, I can't help but wonder: what will the world look like after Covid-19?
Potty-mouthed Professors: Why They’re the Best
Trust me. I should know. I’m one of them. And if you are someone easily offended by foul, vulgar, profane […]
Nature Boys from the ‘Hood
Above timberline, with sustained winds around fifty miles per hour and gusts approaching ninety, while the temperature hovers somewhere just […]
A Man of Leisure’s Brief Guide to Understanding Wellness and Productivity
Change. Life’s great constant. Humans possess a remarkable ability to shape their circumstances in life. While there is no doubt […]
Mountain Buddha: The Origin Story
I never pictured myself as a blogger. After graduate school, most of the writing I did, when I did it, […]
The Simple Joy of Walking in the Woods
“Being accustomed to climb trees in making botanical studies, I experienced no difficulty in reaching the top of this one, […]