An Hour Before Daylight by Jimmy Carter
An Hour Before Daylight is a memoir by former US President Jimmy Carter, in which he recounts his childhood growing…
Hey! Thanks for stopping by. Below are my most recent posts :)
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Exploring Scull Shoals Historic Site
I recently visited the Scull Shoals Historic Site in the Oconee National Forest*. The site is very accessible just following…
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Red Maple Tree in Autumn
In the Spring, the neighborhood is known for its azaleas, dogwoods, and peach blossoms but in the Fall, we have…
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How To Share YouTube Videos Privately (in the new YouTube Studio)
YouTube is an amazing tool for sharing videos. Unlike Google Photos and Email, it has no limits on length or…
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The Middle Ages: Everyday Life in Medieval Europe by Jeffrey Singman Book Review
The Middle Ages: Everyday Life in Medieval Europe is an excellent book about the daily lives of people from every segment of medieval European society.
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Build Cities for Bikes, Buses, and Feet—Not Cars
Driving is an enforced preference. The modern American city is designed to favor cars and make other ways of getting…
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Tulips in Spring
This past Fall, we finally remembered to plant tulips. Beyond planning so far in advance, they were quite easy to…
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North Georgia’s Dixie Highway by Images of America
North Georgia’s Dixie Highway by Images of America is a book that traces the development of the tourism route, the…
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Hiking Burgess Mountain Trail in Oconee National Forest
The Burgess Mountain Trail is a short hiking trail in the Oconee District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Unlike other,…
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Loblolly Pine Trees in Winter
The Piedmont of Georgia can look pretty bare during winter. But on clear days, the ubiquitous loblolly pine trees add…
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Early Peach Blossoms
I planted a peach tree in our backyard. It’s fitting for Atlanta, but the tree thinks that Winter is ending…in…
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Visiting Sweetwater Creek State Park’s Yurts
Sweetwater Creek State Park is one of the best state parks in Georgia. It’s “Atlanta’s State Park” and receives a…
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Ranger Confidential by Andrea Lankford Book Review
Ranger Confidential: Living, Working, and Dying in the National Parks by Andrea Lankford is a compelling account of the life…
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The Devil’s Financial Dictionary by Jason Zweig Book Review
The Devil’s Financial Dictionary is an interesting, browse-able book of satire. Great for anyone with a passing interest in finance or investing.
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Windfall by McKenzie Funk
Windfall is a gripping account of how banks, energy companies, engineers, and entrepreneurs have turned a global crisis into a…
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50 Hikes in the North Georgia Mountains by Johnny Molloy Book Review
Amazing resource for any hiker.
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Rain Barrel Review
A few months ago, I got a free rain barrel & kit from the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed…
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Books Read in 2019
From 2007 to 2012, I read 263+ books. But I did not stop there. I haven’t kept up the same pace…
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The Hot Sauce Test
I’ve used hot sauces for years. In high school, Tabasco went on all my sandwiches. Hot sauce went on all…
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Attending The Global Climate Strike in Atlanta
I got to attend the Global Climate Strike in Atlanta on September 20th 2019. It was the first protest that…
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How To View All of Vanguard’s Mutual Funds
Vanguard is a well-known brokerage and financial services company. They invented the Index Fund, a fund that buys & sells…
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My Favorite Communist Party Sponsored YouTube Channel
I’ve written about the sheer weirdness and 1984-esque nature of exploring China’s Internet before. And even though I do occasionally…
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Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino
Trick Mirror is a collection of nine original essays that explore the river of self-delusion that runs beneath the surface…
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Hiking Rabun Bald
Rabun Bald is the 2nd highest point in Georgia behind Brasstown Bald. But unlike Brasstown Bald, it’s only accessible by…
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Travels by William Bartram Book Review
William Bartram was a famous naturalist in the 18th century. He traveled in the southeastern region of the United States…
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Southside BeltLine Underpass @ McDonough Blvd
Even though the Southside BeltLine is not paved, as of July 2019, it is open for hiking / running. I…
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Uninhabitable Earth by David Wells-Wallace Book Review
A very well-written description of the current path we are on with the climate crisis.
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Enough by John Bogle Book Review
Enough: True Measures of Money, Business, and Life by John Bogle is a must-read for anyone in business or in…
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Best Tent Camping Georgia by Johnny Molloy Book Review
Best Tent Camping Georgia is a straightforward, excellent reference book by Johnny Molloy. Even if you just flip through the…
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Hiking Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge
In April 2019, I went to hike the Red Cockaded Woodpecker Trail at the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge as part…
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Books That I’ve Quit Reading
Fyodor Dostoevsky changed how I read. Until I was 23 or so, I had this commitment to finishing every single…
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Hiking Raven Cliffs Falls
Raven Cliffs Wilderness is one of the most heavily trafficked Wilderness areas in Georgia. And Raven Cliffs Falls Trail is…
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Farsighted by Steven Johnson
Farsighted is a nonfiction book by American journalist Steven Johnson. The book is concerned with the complexity of decision-making and…
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Progress by Johan Norberg Book Review
Progress: Ten Reasons to Look Forward to the Future by Johan Norberg is a concise, fast-paced book that you should…
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The Fish That Ate The Whale by Rich Cohen Book Review
The Fish That Ate The Whale is a biography of Sam Zemurray, the banana magnate of the 20th Century. You…
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Happy City by Charles Montgomery Book Review
Happy City by Charles Montgomery is another great addition to that genre of non-fiction books written by journalists who weave…
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Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold Book Review
Sand County Almanac is one of those books like Walden and Silent Spring that has had an enormous impact on…
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Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday Book Review
I’ve been a huge fan of Ryan Holiday for quite a while. I started reading his work right when I…
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Astoria by Peter Stark
Astoria: Astor & Jefferson’s Lost Pacific Empire is what more history books should aspire to be. It is technically an…
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Best Contractors, Services & Professionals in Atlanta (Intown)
I moved to Atlanta with my family in 2013. Everything was new. And like anyone who has moved to a…
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Over the Plain Houses by Julia Franks Book Review
I was excited to read this book the day I read the book description in The Economist. The novel made…
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This Is Where You Belong by Melody Warnick
This Is Where You Belong explores the concept of what makes us fall in love with the towns and cities…
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Hiking Kinnard Creek Trail in Oconee National Forest
The Oconee National Forest has been part of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest almost since its establishment. But it’s much smaller,…
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Capital One 360 Savings / Money Market Account Review: My 4 Pros & Cons After 13 Years
Not enough people talk about their finances. For whatever reason, we’ll talk and write about our favorite products – but…
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On Visiting Death Valley National Park
I visited Death Valley National Park in January 2018 as a side trip on my business trip to Las Vegas….
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Books Read in 2018
From 2007 to 2012, I read 263+ books. But I did not stop there. I haven’t kept up the same pace…
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On Visiting Congaree National Park
Congaree National Park protects 30,000+ acres of bottomland forest in South Carolina. Even though it’s not in the “top tier”…
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Lionel Hampton Trail
The Lionel Hampton Trail is actually a couple different inter-connected trails in Southwest Atlanta. They are all BeltLine Connector Spurs…
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Pros & Cons of Moving To Atlanta
My family and I moved to Atlanta in February 2013 from Athens, GA. We have lived here ever since. Like…
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Hiking Ellicott Rock Wilderness
In August 2018, I did a day hike along the Chattooga River in the Ellicott Rock Wilderness in North Georgia….
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Hiking Hitchiti Trail
The Hitchiti Trail is a 3-ish mile trail near Jarrell Plantation that weaves along Falling Creek to the Ocmulgee River….
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Personal History of Oakridge, TN – The Secret City
One of my favorite YouTube channels, Half As Interesting, did an explainer about the founding of Oakridge, Tennessee. It was…
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Flying Over Metro Athens, GA
A few years ago, my brother-in-law received a birthday gift to fly over Athens, GA in a single-engine prop plane….
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Hiking Forney Creek at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
In April, my brother-in-law, brother, my son, and myself all went on a 2 night backpacking trip to the Great…
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Hiking Wolfden Loop on the Pine Mountain Trail
The Pine Mountain Trail system is one of the most extensive trail systems in Middle Georgia. It’s one of those…
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Understanding Persuasion in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Francois Chollet recently wrote an essay on “What worries me about AI”. He argues that the big worry about AI…
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Interim Southside BeltLine
I wrote about the Future Southeast BeltLine in 2016. Well, the city now officially owns the land, and it’s a…
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Smarter Faster Better by Charles Duhigg Book Review
In Smarter Faster Better, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg explores the science of productivity and how managing how we think…
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Place in American Art by High Museum Art Exhibit Review
The High Museum of Art in Atlanta had an amazing exhibit called “Place in American Art.” The exhibit was incredibly…
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The Las Vegas Strip: 10+ Observations
The past few years, I’ve been able to visit Las Vegas for a business conference. On each trip, I’ve left…
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Books Read in 2017
From 2007 to 2012, I read 263+ books. But I did not stop there. I haven’t kept up the same pace…
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Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance Book Review
Hillbilly Elegy was deservedly named one of the best books of the year by The Economist, The New York Times,…
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Skyline Bench at Grant Park
Thanks to the Grant Park Conservancy, City of Atlanta and an anonymous donor, there is a new bench with skyline…
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Hiking Cheaha Wilderness
One of the major pros of living in Atlanta is that I’m within a two hour drive of several designated…
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On Visiting Hard Labor Creek State Park
After visiting Vogel State Park, my family and I took another mini-vacation to Hard Labor Creek State Park in July…
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Doll’s Head Trail
There is a small walking trail through the Constitution Lakes Nature Preserve called the Dolls Head Trail. It’s only about…
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Understanding Signaling, Social Media & Internet Content
I love the Internet. I remember the first time that I saw a webpage load. It has changed my life…
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How I Saved An Hour Per Day by Customizing My Phone
There’s an old adage that says “what gets measured gets managed” – ie, you can’t manage a problem until you…
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Visiting Nicaragua: 10+ Observations
In August 2017, I got to visit & travel around Nicaragua for a week. Like all of Central America, it’s…
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Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant Book Review
Dispatches from Pluto by Richard Grant is a travel book and memoir about his move from New York City to…
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Impossible To Ignore by Carmen Simon
Impossible To Ignore by Carmen Simon is a groundbreaking approach to creating memorable messages that are easy to process, hard…
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On Camping at Panola Mountain State Park
Panola Mountain State Park is a Georgia State Park about 30 minutes east of Atlanta, GA. Panola Mountain State Park…
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Fireworks at Centennial Park
This photo is from the fireworks at Centennial Park. The show was absolutely incredible and highly recommended. This was also…
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Bumblebee on a Wildflower
This photo is of a humble bumblebee on a wildflower in our neighbors’ yard. The bumblebee is obviously really cool,…
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Atlantic Center
These are photos of the Atlantic Center, one of the iconic skyscrapers in Atlanta. I love the architecture and location.
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How John Grisham Writes So Many Books
John Grisham has written an entire book every year for the past 10 to 15 years. I’ve always assumed that…
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On Visiting Vogel State Park
After an incredible long weekend at Fort Mountain State Park in October, my family decided to make staying at every…
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Your Addiction To Social Media Is No Accident
All this might seem a little underhanded, but it’s nothing compared to some of the design features currently showing up…
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Wildflowers in Oglethorpe County
This photo is of wildflowers in bloom in rural Georgia. The colors contrasting with the green pasture was so beautiful.
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10 Notes On Visiting Savannah, Georgia
I’ve been through Savannah several times, but never on an extended trip. In May, I got to visit for a…
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Earth Day at Constitution Lakes
For Earth Day, I took my kids to Constitution Lakes, a Nature Preserve in south Dekalb County (and home to…
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On Visiting Las Vegas, Nevada
In January 2017, I visited Las Vegas for the first time. I went there on business to attend a conference….
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Abandoned Oglethorpe County
I have lots of family in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. In fact, I lived there for almost 8 years – all…
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1493 by Charles Mann Book Review
1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created is a nonfiction book written by Charles C. Mann and published in 2011….
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Woodruff Park in Atlanta, GA
This photo is from Woodruff Park. It is one of Downtown Atlanta’s two significant parks – the other one being…
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The Last Train to Zona Verde by Paul Theroux Book Review
Paul Theroux is one of my 3 favorite travel writers. I read this book in 2014 almost as soon as…
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Books Read in 2016
From 2007 to 2012, I read 263+ books. But I did not stop there. I haven’t kept up the same pace…
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Beautiful day, Atlanta
This photo was taken from my office in Fall 2016. One of the things that me and my family love…
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Fall in Atlanta
Atlanta has so many deciduous trees that, if we can get the rain to hold off, we get to have…
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Overlooking Cohutta Wilderness from Fort Mountain State Park
A few weeks ago we went to the lovely Fort Mountain State Park in Chatsworth, Georgia for several nights. This…
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6 Pros and Cons of Commuting and Getting Around by Bike in Atlanta
When I originally published this post in February 2013 – I had just moved to Atlanta, GA (metro area of…
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What The Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula
What The Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula is a reliable introduction to Buddhism. The book provides a solid foundation into…
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At Home in The World by Tsh Oxenreider
At Home in The World is a book about a family’s adventure around the world, as they travel to different…
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Sapiens by Yoval Noah Harari
Sapiens is a multi-disciplinary book that covers 2.5 million years of human history, from the advent of agriculture to the…
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Zealot by Reza Aslan
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth is a historical account of the life of Jesus, written by…
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Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins
Confessions of an Economic Hitman is a semi-autobiographical book written by John Perkins, first published in 2004. The book provides…
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God Is Back by John Micklethwait
God Is Back is a book that argues against the secularization thesis and claims that there is a global revival…
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How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid Book Review
I read Mohsin Hamid’s novel The Reluctant Fundamentalist during my flurry of post-college book reading. It was a powerful novel that…
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You May Also Like by Tom Vanderbilt Book Review
I picked up You May Also Like: Taste in an Age of Endless Choice by Tom Vanderbilt solely because of his…
