Upcoming Shows

Saturday, June 20th, 2026

The 31st Annual Trustees South End Garden Tour
Berkeley Community Garden 
500 Tremont Street, Boston 
12pm-1pm | $28 members/$35 public

Saturday, June 27th, 2026

PorchFest Quincy
144 Grandview Ave. in Wollaston Hill 
5pm-6pm | Free!

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Praying for Time (Among Other Things)

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I recorded this song on my phone yesterday, in memory of George Michael. I'll tell you why, and what it means to me, after the jump.   Those who know me will tell you, without hesitation, that I'm an optimistic person and always have been -- perhaps overly so. I walk around this world grinning like some kind of delusional madman because I really do love life and the people in it. I hope for the best, and unfailingly look for silver linings when the best doesn't happen. My wife would tell you this can be inspiring, but also wicked annoying. But either way, that's me. However, something happened to me after Nov. 8th, 2016 -- something that tossed me into a long, deep, and uncharacteristic depression -- and I only recently realized the true reason for my existential crisis.  
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Biennial update on my well-being and whereabouts

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So, um, it looks like I haven't updated this site in a wee bit, eh? Funny how time does that! Well then, here are a few bits of news for you. Last week I learned that I won two awards from the North American Travel Journalists Association . If you had told me 20 years ago that anyone anywhere would actually pay me real American dollars to write about traveling — perhaps the single greatest pursuit of human kind outside of love, family, and music — and that I'd actually win an award for such a thing, well... I'd have laughed you right out of the pub. And yet, here we are. Here are the winning stories: Kid County, Ireland  (Gold Winner, Family Travel category) It’s no Orlando (and thank God for that), but Ireland doesn’t need the Disney touch to feel like a magical playground for your own little leprechauns. Road Trip, Meet Field Trip   (Honorable Mention, Family Travel category) Sometimes the best souvenir isn’t what you buy, but what you learn. I should probabl...
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Another year over, a new one just begun

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Well, that was some year, huh? Remarkably, we made it to the other side. Whew! In the spirit of reflection and hopefulness, I thought I'd share what I consider my best work of 2017 - the stuff that helped get me through an often dispiriting year and makes me excited to keep creating in 2018. As you might know, I've been writing more words than music lately (though the horrific shooting in Las Vegas all but demanded a rewrite of They Make Angels , five years and no gun laws later). Here are the 10 stories I enjoyed writing the most this year. Thank you if you've read any of these already -- and for supporting journalism in any form these days, whether it's a newspaper subscription or NPR membership. And thank you if you've listened to my music, or supported other independent artists this year. (If you're curious, my favorite new discovery of the year, courtesy of the Newport Folk Festival, were the  Wild Reeds . My God, I would let their harmonies lull me i...
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