Confessions of a Season Purist
I’ll admit it’s more of a mindset than a meteorological observation, but if you’re a winter-hater, might it be better in the long run to hang on to fall as long as you can?
Nick Meekhof (’15) graduated with a major in writing and a minor in geography. A farmer for the first twenty-three years of his life, Nick currently works for the Michigan Department of Agriculture. When he’s not traversing the state conducting orchard inspections, he can be found exploring the rivers, forests, and small towns all throughout the Great Lakes State. His current goals include kayaking one hundred Michigan rivers, swimming in Lake Michigan during every month of the year, and visiting as many Michigan breweries as possible.
What I Think About When I Camp Alone
That’s one thing that sucks about winter camping. There’s nothing to do after it gets dark, except drink beer and stare at the fire.
Old Friends, New Friends, Red Friends, Blue Friends
I understand those who feel that respect must be earned in order to be given, but that stance won’t end any Cold Wars.
The Strip Mall Zoologist
Maybe when I have bigger problems I’ll consider switching my primary care physician to someone with a background in medicine.
One Piece at a Time Vol. II: How to Lose a Dishwasher in 10 Weeks
Like a tube of toothpaste gettin’ squeezed out,
The rest of that dishwasher slowly eased out
Sundays Are for the Boys
With strength in numbers, Cadets was wildly successful at my church. And then there was our paltry GEMS organization.
Blessed are the IT Professionals
I promptly forgot my Apple ID and password the day I got my first smartphone, and so I haven’t gotten a new app in about 4 years.
I Wish I Had Said Something
He’s just one guy, he won’t be around forever, and he’ll probably never run into a black person for the rest of his life. No harm, no foul, right?
I Took the Cedar-Strip Canoe Down the Most Remote River in Michigan… in the Winter
Getting into the river was a comically tedious process. Everything was covered in a foot of snow, and the banks were mostly iced-over.
Near Death
I did something I’d never done before: I started screaming for help.
Goodbye, Goose
It was classy enough to rise above the dive bar ranks, but not so swanky that you couldn’t waltz in there with sweatpants and flip-flops.
Hips Don’t Lie: The Story of a Broken Bone & A Broken Ego
This is also the first time I ever took ibuprofen.
Thoughts on the Afterlife
In my imagination, heaven was an infinite, celestial hay maze.
On Tattoos
During the hour it took to fill in the shapes of Michigan, Huron, Superior, Erie, and Ontario, I learned a lot about tattoos. Apparently, no design is off-limits, so long as you can find an artist willing to draw it.
Five Campsites That Were NOT Insta-Worthy
In the middle of a freezing rain, we reached Dick’s Dome, a geodesic dome built to sleep four persons. There were eighteen people there.
I Took a Cedar-Strip Canoe Down the Most Dangerous River in Michigan
The Pine required constant vigilance and dexterity; every second taken to observe bald eagles or apply sunscreen came with a price: frantic paddling and overcorrection.
You Can’t Destroy Me: A Comprehensive Memoir of the Legacy of Dort Thomas Teddy
After one too many flings into the pond, rainy nights left outside, and one malicious dirt-biking incident involving my older cousin Adam, Dort looked like your typical horror movie puppet.
The Amish Stinkeye, Hobbit Habits, and Why I Love Geography
This is where I ultimately decide I could not be Amish; I simply love travel and experiences too much.
Spring Break 2005: Chillermania
“Chillermania,” I whispered to myself with reverence. “The World Headquarters.” My heart leapt with excitement.
The Potterville Curse
The timeline suggests Potterville is overdue for another disaster. The Potterville Curse is alive and well.
Maybe I Should Care More
On Thursday, February 16, production came to a grinding halt at the greenhouse because most of my coworkers took a personal day for the nationwide protest, “A Day Without Immigrants.”
The Legendary Life of Étienne Brûlé
Étienne Brûlé sat down for his quarterly review in a loincloth and moccasins, chuckling to himself in Algonquin about the foolishness of imperialism.
A Literary Hajj
The road to the Two Hearted River is not an easy one.
A Farm Boy At Heart
Hey girl, you wanna climb the power line towers to watch the sunset over the peach orchard? Hop on my four-wheeler and I’ll show you the back forty.
On Conviction
I believe that God sees enough glimmers of faith and goodwill in our everyday conduct to keep Him convicted of our worth.
Betelgeuse
I still see Betelgeuse on camping trips with friends and family, and I still think of it as mine.
Think Outside the Bell
“Guys, I’m pretty hammered right now. Who’s feeling Arby’s?” said no one ever.
Momentos de Tejas
By the end of the night, the musician had burned himself out, Ed was snoozing on a table in the back, and a thirteen-year-old girl who’d somehow snuck in was able to snag a selfie with “the Michigan Boys.”
The Philosophy of ‘Oh Well’
I attribute my low maintenance, self-motivation, amiable attitude, and ability to work eighty-hour workweeks to my philosophy of not minding anything.
How the North Country Trail Taught Me to Love Ohio
Ohio is flat. Boring. Smoggy, smelly, and snooty. The cities sprawl into oblivion; legions of rusted warehouses and oily factories transition abruptly into very flat, very linear muck farms.
