At Smoky Mountain Knife Works, a Staggering Assortment of…Everything
“A knife is what you make it, ” said Michael Zavasky, brandishing a gigantic English fighting sword. “It’s universal. Women and children used to carry knives….everyone had one.” We stood on the top floor of Smoky Mountain Knife Works, a giant edifice dedicated to anything with a blade and […]
A Mountain Biking Trail in Gatlinburg…for the Rest of Us
Mountain biking is a sport that to the uninitiated, might seem to be made for the young. It’s sometimes an extreme sport, with bruised knees, wild turns, and stomach wrenching dips. But there is a place on the seat of a mountain bike for someone who was born in the […]
Welcomed to Tennessee with Barbecue and Baseball
I’m settling into a comfortable Hampton Inn in Kodak, Tennessee, where from my window I can see the green field of the home of the Tennessee Smokies, an AA affiliate of baseball’s Chicago Cubs. We got to enjoy a game tonight when the home team trounced the visiting Montgomery Biscuits. […]
Trips to the Dump Are Part of Moving
Ever since 1990, when I first moved to South Deerfield, I’ve been going to the dump. Never hired anyone to take out my papers and my trash. No, I’d go, loading up for many years my tired old Toyota Avalon, or, after 2006, my trusty trash day pick-up truck. It […]
Moving Our Stuff, Finding a Home for It All
Whenever I think about moving, I always think about the Seinfeld episode where Jerry befriends Keith Hernandez of the Mets, and is confronted with that age old dilemma…what’s the line about helping friends move? Jerry’s so flattered by being befriended by the famous athlete that he almost says yes. Then […]
Canada’s Primed for Tourism, and Booming in Many Places
It was a whirlwind of a trip down to New York city to meet a large group of tourism officials from Canada. Their goal was to network with journalists like me to pitch story ideas about the vast country. Our job was to visit as many as we could in […]
A Comedian in the Internet Lounge at Canada Media Marketplace
I am surrounded by friendly Canadians. Everywhere there is that familiar flat accent, that wonderfully sincere way of approaching writers like me. Today I’ll meet dozens of tourism board people who will regale me with story ideas…stories that they want us to publish on GoNOMAD Travel. It’s a great opportunity […]
When I Found the Soot Eater, I Didn’t Need a Chimney Sweep
I got a call from a telemarketer just after I’d washed my hands. He wanted to sell me a chimney sweep, but I’d just finished cleaning my chimney using a clever gadget I saw on TV. Really. We were watching the PBS show “This Old House,” and at the […]
Bluetooth Brings Ease to Many Things
It is time for the final four . It is the first time I’ve ever used a wireless keyboard, but boy….do I like it. I have the iPad tiled up against the wall, and the keyboard fits easily here in my easy chair. I think I know what my next […]
At the Lilac Inn, Amidst the Clawfoot Tubs and Four Poster Beds
We decided to take the scenic route to our destination, Brandon Vermont, so we headed west on Rte 2 through Williamstown. It’s that famous season they call Mud in this part of New England, no buds yet out on the trees, and in Florida Mass, lots of deep snow. Route […]
Did You Know You Needed to Get a Visa to Visit All of These Countries?
I remember last year when I got invited to India and needed to get a visa. It was a long and trying process, it involved sending in an application and then I was told by the Indian officials that they needed me to come to New York to explain to […]
The Bookmill Can Take Some–Not All–of Those Books off Your Hands
One of the biggest challenges of moving is what to do with all of your books. It’s just not always possible to box up and bring every single old textbook or novel you’ve got on your shelves, and for this reason, I’d heartily endorse taking a visit to see Susan […]
Working at Home Gets Better–and It’s Great Working with Family
I’m sort of adjusting to this working out of the home thing. Perhaps that’s because I don’t have any viable alternative—there is no office to go to, and so, work begins and ends right here. I originally advertised and hoped to get a cadre of people who also want to […]
Teal One97: If You Love Arabic Grooves, This Show’s For You
I’m looking forward to seeing a show at Bowker Auditorium at UMass tomorrow night. It’s the kind of music I’ve loved when I’ve been traveling. Arabic music has a pulse and a groove that’s unmatched by any other genre. They get lost in the trance-like groove and some of their […]
Why I Live In the Valley: It’s All at the Green River Festival!
We waited with baited breath on a busy Monday morning when we both had to get out the door–but it was April 1 and it was time for the annual announcement of the line-up for this year’s Green River Festival on July 20-21. As they began announcing the names, I […]
Joe Obeng, Computer Wiz and Old Friend, Is Gone
Joe Obeng died yesterday. Joe was someone who I’d call a brother–we’d been through 13 years of intertwined lives. He was with us on every Christmas and Thanksgiving, he babysat my grandkids, he came with me when I broke away to start GoNOMAD, and I was with him as his […]
CPA Jim Lowe Has a Dive-bombing Cardinal Out His Window
This time of year there are things we have to do and things we want to do. Like dentist’s appointments, taxes fall under the have to do, but I was pleased that my annual trip to see my CPA, Jim Lowe, was a mostly pleasant one. Outside of Jim’s office […]