What Does It Mean To Be Hispanic-American in 2024?

Few people think of me as Hispanic. I don’t have a “typical” Hispanic look in the United States, I don’t speak English with a Spanish accent, and I don’t even speak Spanish. Yet my father was born in Mexico, was a naturalized American citizen, and certainly raised me to feel Hispanic – but only privately. […]

Read More

Taylor Swiftkirchen World Tour: Vota Edition

taylor swiftkirchen germany

Germany doesn’t matter. My third direct circumnavigation of the earth doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters to my daughters is Taylor Swift. I’ve come to that conclusion as I walk the streets of Swiftkirchen – the town of Gelsenkirchen temporarily renamed in honor of Ms. Swift – while my family waits in line at […]

Read More

Hire Me! ISO: A New Job in October

I’m proud to announce that USAID/Zambia is hiring a Zambian Digital Development Advisor to replace me. This is an awesome development. It shows the Mission is committed to digital development for the long term, and they will have a staff person able to dive into the minutia of ICT4D on a daily basis. A clear […]

Read More

My Experience: One Million Miler Status on United Airlines

one million miles united airlines

What happens when you fly one million miles on United Airlines? This is my experience reaching lifetime Star Alliance Gold status. Before 1 Million Miles: Nothing I’ve been tracking the One Million Miler goal on United Airlines Mileage Plus program for a few years now. I was close back in 2019 when I reached 85 […]

Read More

My Future at Fifty One

life at fifty one

Fifty-one years ago, I came screaming into this world. By some cultures, that makes me 52 today. Either way, I don’t feel a half-century old. I certainly don’t think of myself as 51. That is until I see a selfie of some old guy who looks like me. Then I remember the many orbits around […]

Read More