Month: June 2021

Winner, Winner, Mexican Dinner

Greetings from the pheasant hunting capital of South Dakota! I'm writing this post from a hotel room in Winner, South Dakota. It's a tiny town in Tripp County, about three hours east of Rapid City, with fewer than 3,000 residents. Winner's claim to fame is pheasant hunting. Fun fact: Winner was established in 1909 and … Continue reading Winner, Winner, Mexican Dinner

Nostalgia is Fine, But the Midwest is Mine

Three years ago today, we arrived in Rapid City. Happy Dakotaversary to us. Three years, man. It doesn't even seem possible. There's a cliche about time passing in the blink of an eye, but I swear, living here still feels like a novelty. The newness has yet to wear off, and I have no idea … Continue reading Nostalgia is Fine, But the Midwest is Mine

High on the Hog

Vegans, PETA, & the Squeamish Should Skip This Post I’ve done many interviews over the years. But never from inside a kill room, standing next to an enormous hog suspended from the rafters by a hook, blood seeping from its freshly slashed throat onto the concrete floor and sluicing down a drain. Until today. And … Continue reading High on the Hog

TickTalk

Tuesday was a weird day. It started with the weather. My parents had an early flight, so they left for the airport at 4:30 a.m., when Tara and I were still in bed. I was kind of half-awake, because I kept hearing what sounded like thunder. I assumed I was dreaming, because there hadn't been … Continue reading TickTalk

I Suck at Relaxing

Saturday, I had an epiphany: I suck at relaxing. After shopping for groceries, mowing the lawn, and spending over an hour plucking weeds from the ground in 90-degree heat I wandered into the backyard, sweaty and sore, and found Tara kicking back on a zero-gravity lounger in the shade of our ash tree, Kindle in … Continue reading I Suck at Relaxing

Have I Been Exiled to Siberia?

If nothing else, these first seven months at my new job have taught me that I need to dress for work the exact opposite of what the season calls for. All winter long, I roasted in my office. Even with the ceiling vent closed, heat would still seep in and slowly roast me. I came … Continue reading Have I Been Exiled to Siberia?

What Do I Know? I’m Just a City Slicker…

Two Things You Should Never Ask a Rancher I have long said that one of my favorite aspects of my job is talking with interesting people. I interviewed a rancher earlier this week and he definitely qualifies as interesting. That is, if you consider somebody who, in addition to raising cattle, is a cowboy poet, … Continue reading What Do I Know? I’m Just a City Slicker…