Culture celebrates the specialist — the fastest runner, the sub-specialist surgeon. But specialization carries hidden risks: comparison, fragility, obsolescence, diminishing returns. Polyvalence — real proficiency across three or more domains — trades podium spots for resilience and a niche nobody else occupies.
You’re driving your car on a nice evening. Rounding a corner, the low light of the late day glares straight into your eyes. In that moment, you realize how dirty your windshield is. How had you not noticed that before?…
It was a hot morning in the mountains today. I almost didn’t go, didn’t bother to hitch up the sled and drag it up to Dutchman because the snow level overnight was high and the cameras in the lots looked…
As a dad, doc, and dude with demands on his time, I’ve found it more challenging in recent years to both DO things and WRITE about them also. In the last few months, I’ve felt increasingly compelled to return to…
On the morning this emerges, I’m 175 days post-op from back surgery for a herniated disc. Almost half a year. Having just returned from a fine day in the mountains today, I was reflecting on a few good days from…
Well, I’m going to be out for a while. At least, out of what I usually do to fill my time. Yesterday, November 2nd, I had surgery for only the second time in my life, and for the first time…
Ever head out for a ski tour and realize you’ll be out for an eclipse? In Oregon, we were nowhere near the chaos of the totality, and cloud coverage was thick, but the moody weather made it possible to view…
If you know me in the real world, then you already know that last spring we plucked up our little family and transplanted from Salt Lake City to Bend, OR. We moved out of Utah because the pollution, the politics,…
A quick administrative note: I’ve migrated this site to a different host and there have been some changes to the theme and page structure. If you received this post by email, you were previously a subscriber and I hope you’ll…
Over the last few years I became increasingly interested in the White Rim route as a day effort. This 4×4 road loop in Canyonlands national park is typically done as a multi-day trip with a vehicle sag-wagon, with decadence akin…