It was like a scene out of a movie. Cue the words “Ten Years Later” flashing across the screen. But it wasn’t a movie, it was real life. Whereas a movie would fast-forward over those ten years in an instant, pausing…
The Epilogue
Author: Zachary A. Marx
The Smokies and the Need for National Parks
Last summer I was in a crowded classroom, attempting to learn Danish, when the teacher asked us to name the best thing about our home country. For me, there was one clear winner: the US National Parks System. Yellowstone. Yosemite. Grand…
Death by a Thousand Empty Inboxes
Long distance callers make long distance calls, And the silence makes me lonely. “Lost in the Supermarket” -The Clash I usually know after a couple of days. What starts off as hope, slowly and inevitably turns to dread as the hours,…
We All Know A Kavanaugh
Note: Despite my strong feelings on the subject, this post is not about whether or not Judge Brett Kavanaugh should or should not be seated on the Supreme Court. Nor will it reflect on the separate and important moral questions…
Almost Famous
Couchsurfing has taken me many places. One place I never thought it would take me is to the small screen, hosting my own TV show.
Tour du Mont Blanc: Feet on the Ground, Head in the Clouds
The first day left us questioning whether we could complete the next ten. Everything hurt. Feet, calves, thighs, feet, shoulders, backs, feet, necks, feet, feet and every muscle in between. Muscles hurt that we didn’t even know we had. Did…
Scotland: Wrong Lanes, Right Places
A year ago, the whirlwind tour with my family and in-laws that surrounded our wedding was winding down. From the 22 or so people who attended our cozy cabin in the Smokies, there were only 4 left: me, my wife…
Life in Limbo
I’m writing this because I have no other recourse. If screaming into the abyss is all I have, then screaming into the abyss I must. I don’t quite know where to begin, but perhaps the easiest place is January of…
The 7-Stages of Climate Debate
This week, world leaders gather in Bonn, Germany for the COP 23. Since the breakthrough Paris Agreement two years ago, the US, under new (for lack of a better word) “leadership” decided to withdraw, and the two other hold-outs–Nicaragua and…
Disconnected, Disconnecting: Stepping Away from Technology
For someone who has taken very public stances against technological encroachments and smart phones in particular, I find myself just as addicted as anyone else to my phone. This addiction was recently highlighted on a three-day camping trip when Christine and…
Travel Wise: The Cautionary Tale of North Korea
I have a friend, who, for the purposes of this blog we’ll call Derek (not his real name). A few years ago, Derek traveled to Laos. It’s a beautiful–if secluded–country and a real gem when traveling through Southeast Asia. One…
Losing Duke
I just had my last conversation with Grandpa Duke last night. Just typing that sentence doesn’t seem right, or accurate, or even possible. He has always been such a large influence to me personally, and to the family as a…