• People Will Show You Who They Are

    I’ve always been the type to sit back. I listen more than I talk. Not because I have nothing to say, but because people will tell you a hell of a lot about themselves if you just shut up and pay attention. Lately, I’ve been listening, and I’m learning things. Or maybe I’m assuming things…

  • Larkin Wasn’t A Failed Police Dog

    What’s the kindest thing someone has ever done for you? The kindest thing someone ever did for me wasn’t some grand heroic gesture. Nobody saved my life or handed me a suitcase full of money. They gave me a dog. Our dog Larkin was being trained to become a police K9. She was supposed to…

  • The Palace of Gold Is Exactly Where You’d Expect It. Except It Isn’t

    The Palace of Gold in Moundsville, West Virginia, is one of those places that makes you wonder what the hell you just drove into. You’re cruising through West Virginia expecting hills, old buildings, and the general Appalachian scenery, and suddenly there’s this completely ridiculous explosion of gold, domes, carvings, statues, gardens, and architecture that looks…

  • Small Town Life

    Sitting on a bench in Barnesville, Ohio. Cute little town. Old buildings. American flags. Quiet streets. The kind of place where absolutely nothing appears to be happening, and honestly, that’s probably the point. The wife is thrift shopping, because apparently wandering around looking at other people’s discarded possessions is entertainment now. I’m sitting here watching…

  • Nothing to Report

    It’s been a slow, completely unremarkable weekend. Nothing happened. No big plans, no exciting adventures, no life-changing moments, and absolutely no bullshit worth pretending was exciting just because it happened on a Saturday. It’s been one of those weekends where the days just kind of blend together and you barely know what time it is.…

  • Cops, Fire Trucks and One Damn Good Dog

    National Night Out in Bridgeport, Ohio, was a pretty damn good night. My wife was working the event as a deputy, and Jersey was there doing her part as a crisis K9. There were police cars, fire trucks, EMS, a helicopter, the big sheriff’s vehicle, and enough emergency equipment gathered in one place to make…

  • The Weekend That Didn’t Need a Highlight Reel

    No drama. No running all over the place. No people creating problems that somehow become your problems. No schedule packed so tight that you need a vacation from your weekend. Just peace. It’s funny how we’ve been trained to think every day off has to be an “experience.” Road trips. Festivals. Shopping. Social media-worthy adventures.…