The Mountain Hike of Doom! It’s A Trap!
There’s a special kind of confidence you feel when you’re young parents. The kind that makes you believe you can do absolutely anything, even when every…
Read the storyThe family archives
Stories from
the Dominion.
Fatherhood, marriage, feral children, questionable decisions, and the occasional useful thought.
Everybody Loves Daddy
There are moments in marriage that make you feel like you’ve finally cracked the code. The chaos is over, the kids are distracted, and your wife—battle-weary…
Read the storyFall Time Trip Trauma
Once a year, there are certain rites of passage that every Virginia family must endure. In spring, it’s cherry blossoms in D.C. where you spend three…
Read the story“Shell” Shock of Summer
There are a handful of moments in a young man’s life that stick with him forever. First movie in a theatre. First moped. First time you…
Read the storyThe Secret Life of Dog Doors
There are a lot of things I didn’t expect fatherhood to teach me. For instance, the average couch cushion can conceal more snacks than a 7-Eleven.…
Read the storyThe Garage Is Sacred… Unless You’re Moira.
There are places a man carves out in life that are supposed to be sacred: a throne room, a fortress of solitude, a quiet wedge of…
Read the story“Taxes Are Bad” — A Child’s Political Manifesto
There are few things more humbling than sitting down with your spouse to discuss the budget. It starts as a simple conversation about money and somehow…
Read the storyA Doctor Pepper a Day… Sends You to the Infirmary.
There’s a little-known rite of passage in the world of Boy Scouts that separates the boys from the dehydrated boys hunched over a questionable latrine—it’s called…
Read the storyLobster Boy Rides Again
There are a lot of things in life that I look back on and think, “Well, that was a choice.” Chief among them is the time…
Read the storyNavy Tales: Or, The Tales That Try Men’s Souls
They say deployment builds character. I say it builds trauma—and back muscles, from clenching everything you’ve eaten for six to eight months straight. This day marked…
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