What I Learned from the Road VI
It has been two years since my last road trip, a flight to Chicago, visit at Northwestern, and then more than two weeks coming back to Arizona with a massive telescope in the back of a rented van....
View ArticleApples and Cheese
Mostly, I place the slide of cheese on top of the apple slice. The soft cheese presses against the roof of my mouth while my tongue enjoys the cool, sweet flavor below. Sometimes, I flip it over and...
View ArticleBreaking restraint
There is a deep pain in seeing human lives restrained, and a tremendous joy when those restraints are broken through education, interaction, and the pursuit of dreams.
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Snowfall in Cascabel, a photo essay
There is something magical about snow in the desert. It’s unexpected, often rare. Last night we went to sleep to the sound of rain on the steel roof. Sometimes soft, like sleet. Sometimes hard as the...
View ArticleThe construct of an unfolding fantasy
I have built my life in the construct of an unfolding fantasy. I see myself as something more than I really am, and then work to make that image a reality. But if I project too far ahead, imagine too...
View ArticleWorking with wood
Living on the road for eight years granted me a global perspective. I saw what was once my home from an outside point of view. I found comfort in moving from place to place and solace at each point of...
View ArticleInsult without Injury
You cannot be offended if what is said about you is not true. Nor can you be feel insulted if you are confident in what you believe. Only those who are unwilling to accept the truth or uphold their...
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Nothing quite like a wood burning stove
A year ago today my neighbor and good friend David and I completed installation of a wood burning stove in my Arizona wilderness home. My electric bill dropped by more than 50% overnight, and my deep...
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The construction of SAM begins!
After two and a half years in research and development, networking and team building, chasing dollars and fund raising, this is the day we can officially say, “SAM IS BEING BUILT!” SAM is a...
View ArticleSpace Radio with Dr. Paul Sutter
Astrophysicist Dr. Paul Sutter interviews SAM Director Kai Staats from within the Biosphere 2! “This week on Space Radio I had the opportunity to catch up with my good friend Kai Staats. Kai joined us...
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A summer harvest
The Cascabel Community Garden never ceases to amaze me with its prolific production of fresh produce, even as the summer temperatures set new high records. Our local community members apply their...
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SAM featured in Scientific American
Biosphere 2: The Once Infamous Live-In Terrarium Is Transforming Climate Research, October 4, 2021 by By Keridwen Cornelius for Scientific American “The Space Analog for the Moon and Mars (SAM) ‘is...
View ArticleHidden Ugly
The more we barricade ourselves from others, the more others want to get in. The more we hide our bodies, the more the unclothed body is appealing. The more we tell our children “No!” the more we rob...
View ArticleExploring Another World
For the past two weeks I have enjoyed the rich experience of exploring the undersea world of the coral reef of Roatan, Honduras. For my entire adult life I have wanted to gain my SCUBA certification....
View ArticleWhen the sky opens and the water comes down
How does one describe rain falling upon the desert? Sometimes drop by drop as counted upon the sheet metal that lines the rooftop. Sometimes as an afternoon shower that reduces the heat for just a few...
View ArticleWhen the muse cannot find the keyboard
So many stories, so many things I want to say trapped in an internal monologue. Sometimes the words make it to my mouth, sometimes to my tongue only to be whispered in an inaudible tone. But my...
View ArticleFinding solace in the winter of a warming planet
It’s winter in the desert. Cool days, cooler nights. I wouldn’t go so far as to say “cold nights” for there would be contention with those who do in fact endure nights in which being out of doors would...
View ArticlePutin, Gandhi, and Me
We watch the news and ask how is it possible that anyone could cause such pain, could inflict such damage without provocation, without self-defense. We naturally separate the actions of a dictator and...
View Article65 buttons
My 2019 Subaru Crosstrek is in the shop, my request that the tech attempt to learn why my milage dropped from 31-32 to 27-28 following a clearly bad tank of gas following a climbing trip to Joshua...
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