My Texas Valentine

(LLANO, Texas) — As I not-so-seamlessly dive into busy, crazy-hip Austin, I keep unconsciously naming things I don’t like. It’s not that I’m trying to complain; it’s more that I’m silently announcing my standards as I learn them. It’s as though I have to lay down my own law. It turns out that I don’t [...]

You know, it does feel easy here

(NEW ORLEANS, La.) I’m lightly sick right now, and the barista at this mind-bendingly cool coffee shop is kind of rude. But I don’t care. I have had a great night.

A few hours ago, I went on-air at Loyola University’s Crescent City Radio with a triad of freshman and sophomore boys, and we talked about [...]

Québec, je t’aime

(VERCHERES, Québec) — I like today’s morning chilliness and blowing rain along the small-town banks of the St. Lawrence River. On an unrelated note, I’m scared.

My amazing host, Françoise, watching ships as they power by her home on the St. Lawrence River.

I’m actually surprised how long it took to get here, to the frightened [...]

It takes a mess of help to stand alone

(ANCASTER, Ont.) — When things become good for a while, it’s easy to get complacent. While I was in London, Ont., I was parked in the driveway of an amazing, friendly woman, and I got used to having to someone to care about my day and to joke with. Here, in the village of Ancaster [...]