Personal Essay
A Chess Cheating Scandal, Emma Stone, and My Next Book
It began, as it usually did, as an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach. Not painful, really, but vaguely unpleasant—as though something was […]
I Tried It: I Did Puppy Yoga
When my 13-year-old daughter, Emma, asked me to sign us up for something called puppy yoga, I was skeptical. “Are you sure this is an […]
Why Do I Keep Yelling at My Kids? A Father Tries Not to.
I didn’t grow up with a lot of yelling. Any decent therapist would hear that and say, “We have to stop now. Enjoy your remaining […]
When Did It Become So Hard to Make Friends?
I was on the T headed to one of my favorite restaurants in Boston when I found myself thinking about the last time I ate […]
The Beer-League Ski Race That Became My Unlikely Salvation
We were in the bland hinterlands of Greater Boston, skiing along the ho-hum Leo J. Martin Golf Course—otherwise known as the worst golf course in […]
My Sister Died Before I Could Understand Her. Now I Finally Do.
In the car heading west to Aunt Dot’s funeral in Chicago with my sister, Nancy, I’ve been raging—or not raging, exactly, but going on at […]
I Took My Kid to a DIY Craft Studio in Natick and We Both Left Happy
This is part of a winter series on things to do indoors in Boston. On a Sunday that was too wet to go out and too […]
I Tried a Bhangra Dance Class and My Dad Moves Didn’t Stand a Chance
This is part of a winter series on things to do indoors in Boston. On a typical winter weeknight, the Dance Complex in Central Square buzzes […]
I Fought Orcs in Boston and My Arms Have Never Been So Sore
This is part of a winter series on things to do indoors in Boston. I’m standing next to my friend on adjacent towers in a fantasy […]
I Made Dumplings at Mei Mei and It Was Worth Being a Third Wheel
This is part of a winter series on things to do indoors in Boston. Walking down Old Colony Avenue after sundown used to be a […]
I’m a Rapper Who Starred in “The Town.” Then Addiction Nearly Killed Me.
Coming to at 3 a.m. after blacking out halfway through snorting a line is an unpleasant cardiac experience, to say the least. And it was […]
I’m 57 and I’ve Never Had a Cast. This Is My Midlife Crisis.
Over the summer, I was about to jump down from the second row of some bleachers—except I didn’t simply jump. I first had to pause […]
My Father Got a Green Card for Free. I Came to America and Got Stuck.
Two suitcases, $400 in traveler’s checks, and a two-year plan. That’s what I arrived at Logan Airport with in 1999, leaving behind my family and […]
It’s Bad Out There. Can a Luxe Boston-Specific Massage Help?
Let’s face it: Boston moves fast. Between traffic-snarled commutes, interminable workdays, and packed schedules, it can be hard to find time to truly reset. Enter […]
My 35-Year-Old Son Is Learning to Drive. It’s Complicated.
The text came from my son Sam, who is 35 years old: Can we practice driving again? He lives in the suburbs with his wife, […]