About

A photo of Ben wearing a wide-brimmed hat standing next to a sign in the woods

I really need a better photo.

I have everything I've ever wanted—a decent job (work from home), a nice house (not too big), a wonderful wife (who loves Star Trek), and four amazing children. I've even recently acquired a kayak (plastic), a full-suspension mountain bike (which has tried to kill me), and a beautiful tenor saxophone (it’s red!). Yes, I have pretty much everything I've ever wanted.

My kids all have physical and/or mental health problems, some of which are very expensive, and most of which are baffling to all the doctors in town. My wife suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that robs her of the pleasure of running. And my career writing manuals for cars, trucks, and tractors that drive themselves is often frustrating and unfulfilling.

Yes, I basically have it all. And I'm undoubtedly about to face something new that is both agonizing and exhilarating, because life is like that.

That’s my story. Maybe it sounds familiar, a little like yours? Whatever the differences between our stories, we surely have a lot in common. So I hope you’ll read and relate to my made-up stories. Some of my best teachers have been the made-up stories of strangers. It’s nice to share the road awhile and maybe make a new friend.