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The Birds of New Zealand, Part II
In the short time since my last blog regarding the birds of New Zealand, I have managed to come across several more fascinating species I'd like to share. Many of these, I thankfully got to share with my parents, who both came to visit me for a couple weeks this past month. Takahē The takahē is likely the rarest bird I've ever witnessed in the wilderness. The takahē is so rare it was once thought to be extinct for about 50 years, before being rediscovered in 1948. Since then,
1 day ago4 min read
My Top 10 Favorite New Zealand Day Hikes (so far)
As a way to share some of the other things I’ve done during the last few months in New Zealand, I decided to post some of my favorite day hikes. I tend to favor tougher, longer hikes, as they are usually a little quieter and a little more rewarding, but, as you shall see, all of these were photo-worthy.
Feb 25 min read
Top 5 Books I’ve Read in 2025
Another year, another rounding up of literature. While during the first half of the year, my reading fell off, upon my arrival in New Zealand, it picked back up, and I found 5 books that stood apart.
Jan 174 min read
The Birds of New Zealand
New Zealand, being such a remote place, only has two species of land mammal, both being kinds of bats. This led to incredible biodiversity and proliferation of birds in the country, up to the point of human settlement in the 13th century. New Zealanders (or kiwis, as they are often called) nowadays show a great love and fascination for their avian compatriots.
Dec 317 min read
Leaps of Faith
I went bungee jumping for the first time in my life. I had been skydiving once before, as I’ve mentioned previously, but that was something I had always wanted to do. I cannot say the same about bungee jumping.
Nov 30, 20254 min read
How Stories Have Influenced My Real World Decision Making
The best stories can inspire one’s real life decisions, often for the better.
Nov 9, 20256 min read
Finding the Right Environment
There are some people who know exactly where they belong. For better or worse, I am not one of those people.
Oct 14, 20253 min read
Making Plans
I have been asked by a number of people what I’m doing in New Zealand. In many ways, the same questions that are posed to me about my travel can also be applied to my writing.
Sep 13, 20254 min read
Museums and the Art of Storytelling
The Auckland Art Gallery I am an avid museum-goer. Next to travel and hands-on experience, it’s one of the best ways to learn. They are more interactive than reading a simple textbook. But there is another level that I hadn’t considered until recently, and that is the role of storytelling in museums. It’s easy to allow a cliché term to lose its value, such as “a picture is worth a thousand words.” I tend to appreciate paintings and photos in museums more, however, when there
Aug 15, 20253 min read
What Is Luck?
I consider myself to be very lucky, in the grand scheme of things.
Jul 11, 20255 min read
Top 5 Books I've Read in 2024
It has been a quiet year in terms of posting on this blog. I have been working on two books at once, went on another adventure abroad, and adopted a new pet, all while continuing my work as a software developer. It has been a great year, and the books I've read have reflected that. My favorite books I've read this year 5. The Things They Carried I had actually read two of the chapters of this book back in my Junior year of high school. I remember vividly talking in my America
Jan 4, 20255 min read
Bobi Wine: A Documentary In Review
As much as I am a movie buff, I have never been tempted to write a movie review until this past week, when I saw ‘Bobi Wine: The People’s...
Feb 9, 20242 min read
Top 5 Books I've Read in 2023
Another year of reading, another blog summing up my favorites. This time, my top 5 were fairly easy to choose compared to last year. These stood clearly out of the pack, excelling in both language and entertainment. 5. The Guide I feel very lucky to have discovered this book by R.K. Narayan, having never heard anyone else mention this book or author before, which is a shame. It is a great, short picaresque novel that follows a swindler who gets mistaken as a holy man, and peo
Jan 28, 20243 min read
The Importance of Trying New Things
I just returned from a 2-week stint in Iceland. Typically, I do not vacation for rest and relaxation. While I can appreciate the need for...
Jul 20, 20232 min read
I Win One, I Lose One
Today’s the day! I am now officially an author. How does it feel? It’s actually a little difficult to say. As thrilled as I am, there’s a...
Jun 15, 20232 min read
When Is a Book Ready?
With less than 10 days before I publish Specks of Dust , I figured now would be as good a time as any to write a new blog post. (Myself...
Jun 6, 20234 min read
Top 5 Books I've Read in 2022
It has been a very quiet year when it comes to this website. I began a new career path last year, and it took up much of my focus. I hope in the future to be able to post more regularly, now that I am somewhat established in that sector of my life. Nevertheless, though I did not read as much this past year as the two prior, I still accrued a modest number of books and wish to share my favorites. 5. David Copperfield A Christmas Carol aside (since I’ve acted in it twice, but
Jan 13, 20233 min read
Top 5 Books I've Read in 2021
After the myriad pages and countless hours spent reading this year, I have assembled for you, dearest reader, my top 5 of 2021. Without...
Jan 3, 20223 min read
The Year of Russian Literature: Huzzah!
I admit, when I began 2021, I did not anticipate turning my reading into anything thematic. While I’ll save the discussion of how I pick books and authors for a future post, I’d like to focus on tendencies I’ve noticed in this year of reading. Me, with my last book of the year First, unlike most years, I’ve doubled up on several authors in a short period of time. Usually, as with Faulkner, Hemingway, Steinbeck, and Roth, I wait a year or two until I return to them. This year,
Nov 29, 20212 min read
Taking the Lead Magnets
For a little while now, I have had a free short story available for those who sign up for my email list. It took me multiple tries, however, to get the story right. First, I needed to decide what I wanted out of this story. I wanted it to be something new, not a sneak peek or scrapped piece of the book that didn’t make the cut. I also wanted the short story to flesh out a side character in the book. In my first attempt, I picked a character I was less comfortable with in the
Oct 25, 20212 min read
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