I recently finished reading Haruki Murakami’s new memoir, “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running.” Haruki Murakami is one of my favorite authors. Ever since I got back from Japan in 2002, I’ve been reading his novels – they tend to be full of mysterious, quasi-supernatural surprises, but still grounded in humdrum reality. This was the first memoir that he’s written – it’s about his life as a long distance runner (he’s run 25 marathons), and what he’s learned from running, and how running has helped him improve his writing (and vice...

On Tuesday night, as a belated gift for my 30th birthday, my brother Luke took me to the Steve Earle concert at Hoyt Sherman Place. Steve Earle is a legendary country/folk/blues/rock guitarist, and he recently released an album of songs that were written by the late Townes Van Zandt. At first I was skeptical about going to this concert. It was a beautiful night, and I was reluctant to spend it indoors. I didn’t know much about Steve Earle or his music, and I don’t listen to much music these days because I’m insanely busy (married, homeowner, father to a 1-year-old baby, working 1.5...

I recently turned 30. There’s no denying that it’s a milestone of sorts, and it’s prompted me to think back on some of the great life experiences that have brought me to this point. So here is a list of some of the best days of my first thirty years, in no particular order: The Day I met my Wife: Every romantic relationship is a kind of miracle. I sometimes think back on the years when I was single, and I remember thinking, “I’m never going to find someone,” and then one day, somehow, I did. I think about that sometimes – my wife and I have been married for...