One Of The Smartest Things Anyone Has Ever Said To Me
byA long time ago, I used to think it was a good idea to confront people when they cut me off in traffic, while…
ESSAYS
A Pessimist Plants A Tree
by[papercut art by Anna Brones] To listen to this essay on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/95ibA5Lo6aM — “All we can do is breathe the air…
He Was Just A Dog
byMy dog died Tuesday. He had been battling lymphoma since early May, doing well with his chemo treatments, we thought, and was still having…
I Have Been Frying Eggs Wrong My Entire Life, Probably
byOne of my greatest sources of wonder in life: At every breakfast joint I’ve ever patronized, there is a person working in the kitchen…
Unearned Confidence Vs. Humility
byMy friend Ace and I were hiking somewhere in the Utah desert several years ago when he asked me, “Have you ever heard of…
There’s No Way I Could Have Seen This Totally Predictable Injury Coming
by“I don’t know if it’s luck or just taking it kind of easy, but I’ve been able to run a bunch of ultramarathons without…
Nostalgia: A Hobby, A Habit, A Survival Tactic
byAt some point during the second or third episode of Once Upon a Time In Queens, I started thinking maybe I was using nostalgia…
Shoveling Season Is Upon Us
byYooooooo we got a foot of fresh powder around here the other day, and you know what that means! Yeah, shoveling. OK, yeah, I…
Make 2022 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm
byNote: I first wrote and published this post on December 29, 2011, calling it “Make 2012 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm.” Every year around…
My Friend Says It’s The Greatest Race In The World
byJust after the crest of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, the longest and highest climb of the New York City Marathon, around Mile 1.0, one of…
I Recommend Wikipedia
byHave you ever pulled your phone out of your pocket to do something useful, like check the weather forecast or Google the business hours…
Taking A Break
by—Brendan
Because You Never Know
byWhen it comes to my dog’s favorite humans, I will never be Number One. In fact, if you handed him a piece of paper…
The Old Bike-In-A-Bag Trick
byIf you’re trying to sneak stuff onto public transportation, there are certainly many ways to do it—I mean, not that I would know about…
Surely These Notebooks Will Help Me Create Amazing Things
byPerhaps you know someone like me, a person who cannot resist buying notebooks of all sizes. I buy pocket notebooks for doodles and quick…
Getting Up Early: An Ode, A Lament
bySome mornings, after I have been jarred out of a deep sleep far too early by my watch alarm, which is a booby trap…
The Joy Of Planning Trips I’ll Never Take
byI was opening a fifth browser tab when I caught myself. Researching an 600+-mile bike packing route had nothing to do with what I…
Going Fast, Going Far
byEven when I was just taping off my steps before the race started, I was comparing myself to the other runners. I don’t remember…
I Hate Running
by[NOTE: To mark the publication of my new book, I Hate Running and You Can Too, on March 16th, I’m re-posting the original essay…
Make 2021 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm
byNote: I first wrote and published this post on December 29, 2011, calling it “Make 2012 The Year Of Maximum Enthusiasm.” Every year around…
The Life-Changing Magic Of Ignoring The Ratings
bySeveral years ago, I had an idea to collect some bad Yelp reviews of U.S. national parks for a story on Adventure Journal. Since…
The Dog’s Guide To Being Present
byMy dog, probably like many dogs you know, lives inside, but lives for any opportunity to go outside. As he starts to detect signs…
The Loop Routes That Don’t Show Up On The Map
byLast Friday afternoon, I locked my bike to a sign next to the trail and tried to convince myself it wasn’t that hot—it was…
A Psychologist Rates The Strategies I Use To Deal With Stress And Anxiety
byLike you, I am trying to get better at dealing with stress and anxiety. I am aware that I suck at it, and that…
Weren’t We Lucky
byThanks for reading. If you’d like to help keep Semi-Rad going, forward this piece to…
Why We Can Still Listen To “What’s Going On” 50 Years Later
byThanks for reading. If you’d like to help keep Semi-Rad going, forward this piece…
Zen And The Act Of Washing Dishes
by—Brendan Thanks for reading. If you’d like to help keep Semi-Rad going, forward this piece to someone who’d like it,…