Coming in From the Cold

I am just returning from a welcome and much-needed week off te grid at the wonderful Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch in Stanley, Id. I will be back to my blogging ways.

Reviews from China-based expats mean the most…

...to me, at least. I am particularly proud of a couple of recent Big in China reviews: The good folks at China Beat lauded the book:  "For a good China-focused summer book, I recommend Big in China...a very funny, very touching book."…

Caffeine, the wonder drug

I love coffee so very, very much and I'm very glad to know that the addiction seems to be harmless and possibly even helpful. "There's really no good reason to quit using the stuff... It's pure awesome." This is a great video.

Capt. Dean Ween – rock and roll fishing trips

Ween has been one of my favorite bands for almost 20 years now. My love for the band, which began in earnest with their excellent 2004 album Chocolate and Cheese, led me to write a lot of articles about them, to see several of their…

Appearances next week: Pittsburgh and Maplewood

Monday 6/27: Pittsburgh JCC 1:15 pm Thursday 6/30: Maplewood Library 7 pm. http://ow.ly/5pzmQ

Lots to write about, but…

...no time to do it. Been moving like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. Oddly, yhis move could be relaxing - Pittsburgh for a few days. See you soon.    

One Sentence Book Review: Big in China

courtesy of the good folks at www.mandmx.com

An incomplete but thoroughly excellent Woodie Alan reunion

I have felt more homesick than usual on this trip to China – mostly I think because it came so hard on the heels of Jacob’s bar mitzvah and it was difficult o leave the family so far behind after such an intense and enriching experience…

Beijing Daze interview

Now things are really getting interesting with the haters. New BeijingDaze interview with me, where I answer the haters and they fire back. Am I wrong to think this is kind of fun? http://tinyurl.com/62anvz4