Matter, Energy, and Life of Michaela A. Castello.

Long Reads

Stories that take a bit longer to get through.

  • A Connected Life

    I remember the first time I got online, typing commands into Trumpet Winsock on Windows 3 to establish a dialup connection over our single phone line. From that moment onward our house answering machine message was effectively modem sounds—I kept a computer online as much as possible. Even when I was nowhere near the computer,…

    , ,

  • Joplin Trip Aftermath

    Now that we’re back I wanted to give one final update on the trip and disaster response itself. While I think everybody would agree that we made a difference, there are areas for improvement. It was interesting seeing the FEMA contractors working alongside nonprofits and church-based organizations. While their street closures made it tough to…

    , , ,

  • The Road Home

    Because of the planned detour to the Grand Canyon, we got an early start yesterday. We were making excellent time, but our vehicles seemed to have other plans for the journey. First, the little steel cable that engages the brakes if the trailer disconnects got snagged, forcing an emergency pullover amid smoking trailer tires. After…

    , , ,