We tease here at the ranch that we have animal pastures and people pastures, and both require husbandry. There is much to be learned about humanity by caring for animals. Particularly, camelids, which include alpacas and llamas, bring a very unique set of lessons to the human than that of
How to Evolve Your Business Without Burning It All Down You started your business with purpose. You poured your heart into the brand, the website, the mission statement. You knew who you wanted to serve. You felt aligned and excited. But now? Something doesn’t quite fit. Your offerings may
Recently, we had a party check into one of our yurts, a grandpa and adult son coming up to help the grandson build a house up the road from us. It was their first time staying at the ranch. During our check-in routine, grandpa pipes up, “my wife wanted
Conflict. Just the word makes many of us uncomfortable. For me, as a gay man, it has often carried an even heavier weight. When I think of conflict, I don’t just imagine tense conversations—I recall the time someone spit on me in a Walmart. The time food was
Many of us start our own business for freedom; the flexibility to work on our terms, to choose our customers, to create something that supports a dream and reflects our values. But even in the most intentional businesses, boundaries can quietly blur. It might happen slowly: a little extra time
Nothing can give one the truest sense of what it means to be an American, then to live through being marginalized by your fellow citizens, forming close-knit subcultures and communities, being overrun by a plague and the associated stigmas, and then finding the strength and fortitude to overcome...all
I considered running for office years ago, so I sat down and drafted a set of courageous, self-reflective questions—questions I felt I needed to answer honestly before moving forward. This wasn’t an academic exercise; it was born out of genuine concern. At the time, I was disillusioned.
There’s a quiet strength that settles in your bones when you care for your elders. Not out of obligation, but out of love—and reverence. The ancient Confucian value of filial piety has become more than a concept to me; it has shaped the arc of my adult life.
When horror and harm dominate our vision, we risk losing sight of the good that still surrounds us. And when we lose that vision, we surrender a vital source of power—one we need not only to heal, but to keep moving forward. At the Center for Trauma and Stress
Let’s be honest: a lot of us are out here running businesses… and still not calling them that. You market yourself and your services. You invoice people. You have loyal clients. You pour care, creativity, and strategy into what you do. But then, when someone asks, “What do you
I was supposed to have a drink with an ICE agent. His wife had arranged it—she said it was important that I, and others like me, understood. She said her husband was a good man, doing a hard job for the sake of the country, and she wanted me
When people first hear I’m critical of organized religion—especially Christianity—they sometimes assume that our guest ranch might not be welcoming to people of faith. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth is, I care less about what God you pray to and more about
The first team sport I ever played was basketball in sixth grade at Cornerstone Academy in Helena, Montana. I didn’t exactly join the team by choice—my father declared it was time I picked a sport, and, apparently, puppetry and magic tricks didn’t qualify. Spoiler alert: I was
It started with a simple question: “Can I ask you something?” A seven-year-old, fresh off an overnight in one of our yurts, held a mug of morning cocoa like it was sacred. She’d barely slept, the anticipation of seeing the animals too strong to let rest settle
I approached the release of Luca Guadagnino’s Queer with high expectations, hoping it would offer a profoundly moving and memorable cinematic experience. The casting of Daniel Craig in the role of a queer man was particularly intriguing. It signaled a departure from his iconic portrayal of the suave James
Imagine, for a moment, that your home is open to the public every single day. Your front door: an invitation. Your daily routine: subject to interruption by a stranger seeking an experience and connection. Now, add to that the responsibility of hosting overnight guests. We sometimes say teasingly that we
