My 2017 Joy Jar

My 2017 Joy Jar

The Joy Jar has become an annual tradition. That’s a little surprising, considering how much time I spent hating on the idea. It seemed so cheesy and a little pretentious, perhaps? I can’t quite put my finger on why I had such a strong distaste for a good...
Upcoming screenings of Brewconomy

Upcoming screenings of Brewconomy

Great news! Brewconomy, the documentary I directed about North Carolina craft beer, is scheduled to screen statewide in the coming weeks. The screenings are organized and managed by the N.C. Craft Brewers Guild. Tickets to each screening are now available. There are...
Changing urban landscape

Changing urban landscape

The ever-changing urban landscape fascinates me. Every now and then, I stop to snap a photo in Raleigh, North Carolina, where I live. Things are changing so quickly. The Triangle has been going through massive growth, which has its pros and cons. I’m not here to...
2017 Year in Review

2017 Year in Review

Whew, what a year. It was a pretty wild, life-altering year. To put it mildly. The Big News The year began with exciting news: Derek and I were going to have a baby! We spent the first few months sharing the news in person with family and friends. Eventually we had a...
Saying farewell to Louie

Saying farewell to Louie

Last month my family said farewell to Louie. Louie was my shadow for almost exactly 10 years. My sister found him at the Wake County Animal Shelter in Raleigh, N.C., in 2007. I fell in love with him immediately. Louie was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. We found out he...
Introducing Samantha Payne

Introducing Samantha Payne

Two weeks ago, my daughter was born. It’s a pleasure to introduce you to my daughter Samantha for the first time. There’s a lot of stuff to share but a very limited window in which to write, work, and post in these early weeks. With little sleep, lots of...