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.
Salty Air & Simple Things
A Feathered Friend Wings It Through Security
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.
I Smell a Racket: Shakespeare, Tip Fees, & Other Modern Cons
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.
The Longest Thirty Minutes
A heart-stopping moment on a crowded beach taught me about panic, but it took becoming a father twenty-five years later to truly understand the ghosts that haunt our parents—and how quickly routine can turn to chaos.
Goldilocks and the XL Bucket of Kettle Corn
A quick mission to buy a bucket of kettle corn on the Bethany Beach boardwalk turned into an exercise in optical illusions and $35 worth of decision-making regret. Here is how Goldilocks in flip-flops accidentally bought a 10-gallon drum of popcorn—and how nine people finished it in 24 hours.
Doc Holliday, Piglet, and a Phone Call Out of the Blue
From rigged toilets in Lethal Weapon to quiet moments with Piglet, an unexpected call from an old friend serves as a reminder of the many different ways we support each other through the thick and the thin.
Check Engine Lights and Churning Stomachs
Featuring a freezing winter night, an AMC Concord, a Renault Encore that took a permanent French "lie-in," and a 35-mph speeding turtle. A look at the visceral panic of unexpected car trouble, and how a lifetime changes the way we handle the shock.
If there were 100 people in the world?
(A version of this story appeared on September 6, 2023 on The Heart Of The Matter. ) When I was a young kid, I was small for my age. We'd line up at the start of the year, smallest to the tallest, and I would always be one of the shortest boys in my class.... Continue Reading →
What My Coach Got Wrong About Winning
What if coming in second isn't failure, but preparation? A reflection on pee-wee football, Vince Lombardi's actual advice, and why effort is what truly moves us.
Writing from the Heart with Brian 
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