The Work

Two paths. One body of work.

My work moves between reflection and application, between how we live and how we make sense of the systems that shape our daily lives.

It is grounded in lived experience, shaped over time, and expressed through writing, teaching, and practice.

The Paths into My Work

There are two primary areas where my work is unfolding. They are two distinct paths but connected by a shared concern with attention, awareness, and learning to see more clearly.

Path One: At the Tables of Life

How we show up at the Tables of Life determines what is possible

Overview

This body of work explores the roles we inhabit, the demands we carry, and what it means to live through long seasons of responsibility and work.

It asks what happens not just in the moments that define our lives but in what follows. The accumulation. The residue. The questions that remain after decisions are made and responsibilities are met.

This is not a project of fixing or optimizing.

It is an exploration of what becomes possible when we begin to reflect more honestly on our own lives.

This work includes:

  • A foundational book (At the Tables of Life)

  • A series of profession-specific field guides (in development in parallel)

  • The Messy Middle newsletter

  • Meditation and other contemplative practices

  • Small group conversations and book circles

How to enter this work:

  • Read the Messy Middle (free)

  • Explore meditation & groups (some are free; some are for purchase only)

  • Follow the author’s journey in writing this book (subscription only

PATH TWO: Decoding Food Labels

Understanding what’s behind the labels on the food we eat.

Overview

This body of work focuses on how to understand food labeling and the regulatory systems that shape what we see (and don’t see) on the products we buy.

It is grounded in decades of experience in food law, but written for consumers who want clearer, more practical guidance.

Over time, this work is also expanding to include not just information, but also the value of bringing the quality of attention with us to the grocery store: how we read labels, how we decide who to trust, and how our habits shape what we consume.

This work includes:

  • The Decoding Food Labels newsletter (free)

  • A forthcoming consumer focused book (scheduled for release in 2027)

  • Practical guides and educational resources (many are free, some are subscription only)

How to enter this work:

  • Read Decoding Food Labels (free)

  • Start with a beginner guide to food labels (free)

  • Follow the author’s journey in writing this book (subscription only)

A Distinctive Approach

Although these two areas of work are different in subject, they are connected by a shared concern:

How we learn to pay attention.

Whether we are reflecting on our own lives or trying to understand the systems around us, much of what matters begins with noticing what we might otherwise move past too quickly.