PinnedMember-onlySeeing the world through soilsStudying soils has changed my perspective of my local landscapes, and you can learn to see soils, too. Just the other day, I was taking the bus through town. I was the only person on the bus that afternoon. The bus driver, let’s call him Ted, was bubbling over with…Science5 min readScience5 min read
Jul 13, 2022Books that have helped me learn to write for the processWriting reminds me that I am a scholar, and I do, in fact, have things to say about soil. The writing process is empowering, encouraging, frustrating, and challenging all at the same time. In my years as an academic writer, I have attended many writing workshops, retreats, meet ups, and…Writing2 min readWriting2 min read
May 28, 2021Member-onlyThere is value in being a beginnera lesson I learned from the Entisol Listen to an audio version of this essay read by the author here. Yesterday, I was running along a stretch of beautiful California coastline. The trail weaves along a bluff that is the youngest in a series of coastal terraces that formed through…Life Lessons5 min readLife Lessons5 min read
May 10, 2021Member-onlySoils teach us to notice what’s in the backgroundListen to an audio version of this essay read by the author here. Soils are ubiquitous, and because of that they often fade into the background. This might just be one of my most common refrains. I say it all the time. And it’s true, soils are everywhere! They are…Nature3 min readNature3 min read
Apr 28, 2021Member-onlyMeta-writing helps me stay consistent with my writing practiceI do a lot of meta-writing. I write about my writing process. About half of my essays here on Medium are writing-related. I do not write and share these essays because I think I have the best writing advice. I do not write essays about writing because I think others…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Apr 26, 2021Member-onlyWhy I write about soilI see the world through a soil lens and can’t help but write about it. When I first learned about the diversity of soils, I felt like I had stumbled upon a hidden part of the natural world. I began studying soil science as an undergraduate student and quickly became…Nature3 min readNature3 min read
Apr 23, 2021Member-onlyArt practices help me when I don’t know what to write about.I write every morning (or at least I have been recently), but that doesn’t always mean I have something compelling to write about. The last few days have been a struggle in this area. I sit down to write but don’t quite know what to say. …Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Apr 20, 2021Member-onlyWriting consistently helped me discover what I am even writing for.My morning writing routine is back. Here I sit on day 7 of writing before doing just about anything else (okay, I brushed my teeth and am drinking a glass of water, but before email!). I feel a lot better already. …Writing4 min readWriting4 min read
Apr 19, 2021Member-onlySoils are always forming, and so are weSoil is one of my most important teachers. Studying soils through a scientific lens has opened my eyes to the diversity of soil forms and the complexity of their functions. Beyond that, soil has also taught me more about my place in the world. Soils are the living breathing skin…Science3 min readScience3 min read
Published in Runner's Life·Apr 19, 2021Member-onlyI Accidentally Ran Every Day in 2020. Here’s What I Learned.What started as a small goal, somehow snowballed into the running year I never expected. 2020 was a particularly memorable running year for me. It’s not what you’re thinking: I did not have my highest mileage year because the pandemic gave me “more” time. I did not come close to…Running5 min readRunning5 min read
