Where Word Invaders Began

By Jeff on February 22, 2026

When does someone come up with the idea for a game? How about while descending, switchback after switchback, from the canyon rim to the Rio Grande below.

Lee Child’s Jack Reacher Series Complete Novel List

By Jeff on January 5, 2026

I have been creating lists for my Dad of the novels by his favorite authors so he can make sure he has read all of them. You can see my John Grisham complete list, John Sandford lists, and Michael Connelly complete list. This post is a complete list of all the Jack Reacher novels by […]

Michael Connelly Novels Complete List

By Jeff on January 5, 2026

I am continuing to compile complete lists of the books of some of my Dad’s favorite authors for him. You can see my John Grisham complete adult novels list and all my John Sandford lists. In this post, I am going to list all the novels by Michael Connelly. The Black Echo (1992) — Featuring: […]

John Sandford’s Virgil Flowers Complete List

By Jeff on January 5, 2026

Here is a complete list of all John Sandford’s Virgil Flowers series books. I compiled this for my Dad, who wants to make sure he has read all of Sandford’s work. You can see the other John Sandford lists I made for him here. Dark of the Moon (2007) Heat Lightning (2008) Rough Country (2009) […]

John Sandford’s Kidd Series Complete List

By Jeff on January 5, 2026

This post includes another list, this one of the books in John Sandford’s Kidd Series, that I created to provide for my Dad as he ensures that he has read all the books of a few of his favorite popular authors. You can see the other John Sandford lists here. The Fool’s Run (1989) The […]

John Sandford’s Prey Series Complete List

By Jeff on January 5, 2026

Much like with John Grisham, my Dad is trying to make sure he has read all of John Sandford’s books. So, I am putting together a series of lists for him. They will all be tagged with John Sandford if you are looking for them. Rules of Prey (1989) Shadow Prey (1990) Eyes of Prey […]

John Grisham Adult Novels Complete List

By Jeff on January 5, 2026

My Dad reads a few popular authors, including John Grisham. He wanted to make sure that he has read all Grisham’s adult novels, but could not find a definitive list. So, I put together – using AI and Wikipedia – a comprehensive list in chronological order of all these books. At the end of the […]

My American Revolution reading list

By Jeff on October 15, 2025

Here is a very idiosyncratic and incomplete list of my favorite scholarly works on the American Revolution. Some are classics in the historiography, others continue to influence how I think about the conflict, and several are newer works that have reshaped the direction of research in the field as well as my own understanding and […]

Hoh Rainforest and an Injury

By Jeff on September 2, 2025

We are up in the Hoh Rainforest for a couple days. And I would love to take the Hoh River Trail then head north over Bogachiel Mountain, and then through the Seven Lakes Basin over to Sol Duc. That would be a 25 or so mile run with 5000 feet of vertical climb, which seems […]

Grand Canyon R2R2R Run Intro

By Jeff on August 21, 2025

For the last several months, I’ve been training for a rim to rim to rim run in the Grand Canyon (R2R2R). During the effort, I will cover around 45 miles throughout the day. Leaving before sunrise, it all begins by pounding down seven miles and 4800 vertical feet on the South Kaibab Trail. I will […]

A Description of a Historiographical Essay, Bibliographic Essay, and Literature Review

By Jeff on July 25, 2025

I just had a student ask me the differences between a historiographical essay, a bibliographic essay, and a literature review. I figured I would share my response below for those readers who might be interested (and for the long tail of the internet). I was surprised by how clear the differences became once I started […]

Appalachian Trail Near Me

By Jeff on September 23, 2024

Over the last week, I managed to get out on the Appalachian Trail three times while ML and I made a little weekend trip down to Asheville. Those short hikes – maybe a pair of 2 milers and a 5 miler – whet my appetite for more of the AT. So, now that we are […]

How to Check Out a Book Using the Libby App and Read It in Kindle

By Jeff on September 17, 2024

When my Dad was last visiting, I set up a New York Public Library account for him and got him hooked up with the Libby app. He even borrowed and returned a book. Even though Dad needed some help checking out and returning the book, I thought he understood the steps. However, Dad got confused […]

The Last Week

By Jeff on January 30, 2023

Back in Peoria since Saturday evening, the temps are “below climatology”. In the teens means getting outside is a little harder. But it also makes any outing feel like an expedition with layers, a thermos, and a backpack. I am looking forward to checking out the preserve later this afternoon.

Where do the Feeds come from?

By Jeff on January 20, 2023

For better or worse, I curate the feeds personally from things that I have read and watched. This allows me to ensure that all the material is interesting and meets a certain vague set of requirements.

A Brief Test of the ChatGPT API

By Jeff on January 19, 2023

I have had some existential dread about how AI will affect both my own livelihood and identity as a writer and the very experience of writing, reading, and sharing ideas. To further explore ChatGPT and test just how well it can replicate what I do…

Review of Note-Taking App Notepad

By Jeff on January 19, 2023

I have desired a dedicated note-taking app for at least the last several months. Beyond an easy way to save, backup, and share the data, I don’t really have any more requirements except simplicity of use. Ideally, this app would…

So what is Mean Low Water?

By Jeff on December 26, 2022

Mean Low Water is a place for me to bring together my various interests and share them with others. It is meant to be a sort of combination of personal blog and recommendations site. However, MLW is an evolving project…

Abby the Spoon Lady

By Jeff on October 4, 2022

Sometimes, I come across a video that really makes me smile and renews my faith in humanity.

Emerson’s 1847 Transatlantic Voyage

By Jeff on March 11, 2022

Emerson left Boston aboard Washington Irving on Tuesday, October 5, 1847. An early October crossing offered only a slight chance of encountering storms and only about a ten percent chance of seeing wave heights above twelve feet…