In my 28 years of working as a professional writer, I have followed an adventurous path that, in hindsight, seems like an improbable dream. I've leaped off icebergs into the Antarctic Ocean, watched the sunrise on Mount Fuji, and spent hundreds (thousands?) of days exploring Colorado's mountains for my guidebooks.

I have been fortunate to have very good dogs join me along the way. Sometimes, on the mountains themselves, sometimes as a comforting presence to come home to, sometimes as a quiet reminder to keep going after they have gone.

The content I will create here goes beyond adventure, though rest assured, there will still be plenty of exploration woven into the digital fabric of this site. The ideas here are the natural evolution of all the thoughts that come from the highs and lows of an adventurous life, but also the vexing complexity of reintegrating into a bewildering world, one that seems so simple to improve but doggedly mired in primitive ideology.

Much of what you will read reflects a theme inspired by sociobiologist Edward O. Wilson's well-known quote: "The real problem of humanity is the following: we have Paleolithic emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology."

To this profound notion, I add a canine twist.

We have forged a bond with dogs that is more than a great consolation. Dogs offer us depth, perspective, and purpose, born of a connection forged in the ancient world that persists into the uncertain technological horizon that changes the narrative in ways our paleo-powered brains can barely comprehend.

Keep going.

What is This Substack All About?

The stories to come will explore:

• The core tensions found in the gaps between our emotions, institutions, and science. Yes, it's philosophical, but peppered with as much optimism (and even humor) as can be extracted from such an equation.

• What role do dogs—and other non-humans—play in this madness, and what can we learn from them?

• And there will be adventures. Immersing oneself in the joy of discovery and curiosity is something we share with dogs. But it is also how we've arrived at our more sophisticated comprehension of reality.
  
  Also, adventure is (usually) fun.

As a professional writer and journalist, I have created this project as part of the new journalism, which honors authentic voices with minimal intrusion from legacy monetization models. This content will be original, researched, and perhaps most importantly, not created with AI. And it will be free because hey, everyone wants to kick the tires before buying the car. If you're so inspired to support it, keep reading.

How I Make My Bones

In a few months, I will offer an optional pay model. Ideally, this could fund At Least There Are Dogs like your favorite newspaper column (remember those?) Once we get to that metaphorical bridge, there will be exclusive content for paid subscribers, with access to a host of cool things that take time and money to create: interviews with notable experts, adventure destinations complete with GPS tracks and itineraries, and community-driven media that follows this mysterious trail wherever it may lead.

To start, however, I hope you enjoy the stories. If you find yourself clicking into the content, I encourage you to read for a few weeks and see if it's worth a modest monthly investment to grow the site (likely no more than $12/month, or as the marketers would sell it to you, 50 cents a day!)

So as we begin this new adventure, give your pup a scritch on the head from me, and thank you so much for your consideration.