fiction writer in love with irony as it plays against the open-hearted connections of the world. stepfather living in the town of boulder, colorado who feels vaguely like a fish out of water and is also happier than he's ever been. recently returned to america after years abroad, and still surprised by the changes to his dear old country--the crazy war, the crappy television, the coarsening of the way people seem so often to speak to each other. wha happened?

that said, absolutely jammed with hope for the future.

part of that hope revolves around an inherited pair of boys, ten and eleven. impossible to look at those shining faces and despair too much. on the other hand, do you know what it does to an adult nervous system to have two pint-size missiles caroming around the house all day? ask me, i'll tell you.