Writing from the Heart with Brian
Think, Laugh, & Cry Each Day
A brief warning from a state park attendant kicked off a flood of creative inspiration. From jellyfish apocalypses to mob bosses in flip-flops, here is what happens when your mind wanders on dry land.
Stuck overnight at the airport after a canceled flight, I discovered that no matter how old we get, heavy machinery and late-night maintenance still bring out our inner ten-year-old—and apparently, my new dream vehicle is a $35,000 industrial floor scrubber.
We talk in clichés. We love phrases that once were striking, but over time have lost their impact and power. Their overuse has caused the words to lose meaning for the listener. It's like a piece of bubble gum that's full of sugary flavor when you first start chewing it, but over time becomes bland... Continue Reading →
From the quiet awe of takeoff to the absurdity of the terminal, air travel is a mix of miracles and madness. A look at the brief magic of flight—and the universal quirks of the people we fly with.
From moody introverted seagulls and missing personalized keychains to the undisputed supremacy of beach ice cream, here are a few simple observations and lessons learned from a recent trip to Bethany Beach.
One spouse forges ahead like Meriwether Lewis mapping the frontier; the other trails behind dragging a 50-pound cooler through scorching sand. If your marriage can survive a week at the beach, it can survive anything. Here are four essential rules for surviving the dunes, heat, and potential beach mutiny.
Seeking refuge from the chaotic terminal gate, I bumped into a fellow traveler with a familiar look of exhaustion—and a full set of feathers. A short story about finding common ground in unexpected places.
(A version of this story first appeared on June 21, 2023 on The Heart of The Matter.) My sons were both excited, my daughter a bit less, but she was being a good sport. They wanted to see the waterfalls. Our kids were all relatively young and we had billed up the falls and our... Continue Reading →
When I worked as a newspaper reporter, we used to keep a running list of 'rackets' that bugged us. I left the newsroom, but I'm still keeping score. From the guilt-trip of an iPad tip screen to the power of AI, here are the everyday institutions that drive me up a wall.
Writing from the Heart with Brian 
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