Like a lot of other boys, I played sports as much as I could growing up. I’d pull up my socks to knee level, morphing into Dr. J and fantasizing about the winning shot. But after it became clear that I had as much athletic ability as an ottoman (I scored 2 points during my entire 8th-grade basketball season), I had to make a change.
In high school, I did get on the football field. But it was at halftime. As a drummer. I played year-round—marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble, orchestra pit, everything. In college, though, I had to make a choice—continue with music or pursue my writing career. Though I’ve picked up my sticks only a few times in the last two decades, I feel, in a way, that I’m playing drums all the time.
Writing—and teaching writing—is all about understanding rhythm and pace and volume and knowing the best ways to tell a story.
I’ve been fortunate to work with smart editors, writers, teachers, and students, and I’ve been just as fortunate to spend my career writing about subjects I care about. Throughout this web site, you can learn about what I do, but here’s a little more about who I am.
Family: Wonderful wife, twin boys, three dogs
Vacation Spot: Nags Head, OBX, N.C.
Sports Teams: Gators, Blue Hens, Flyers, Eagles, Phillies, Sixers
Ounces of Steak Once Eaten During Contest: 76
College Nickname: Hoover
Must-See TV: The Office, Modern Family
Must-Read Writer: Gary Smith, Sports Illustrated
Food Favorites: Satchel’s pizza, Ivey’s blend, Burrito Bros. guac, Dairy Queen, mashed potatoes
Best Lucky Scrabble Play: 133 points (NOZZLES)
Best College Job: Dressing up as Santa, Batman, Ninja Turtles, Big Bird, etc… for kids’ parties
Spare Time: Playing 3-on-3 basketball, coaching my boys’ sports teams
Oddball Joys: Sweating (especially in steam rooms), organizing closets, sneakers
Big-Time Advocate Of: Therapeutic uses of ice
Education:
- M.S., Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
- B.A., University of Delaware
