Entries by William Kennedy

Highlands, Low Budget – Scotland Part II

Swaying on the wire bridge above the stream flowing from Steall Falls down Glen Nevis—a lush valley outside the town of Fort William—the Scottish Highland’s fabled euphoria seized me. My state of mind approached tranquility. I contemplated the magnificent cascade and wide, birch-laden valley, almost oblivious of the icy water below. For a single moment, I was free of all thoughts about the cost of getting here. I had discovered the Wealth of Scotland…

Highlands, Low Budget — Scotland: Part I

Swaying on the wire bridge above the stream flowing from Steall Falls down Glen Nevis—a lush valley outside the town of Fort William—the Scottish Highland’s fabled euphoria seized me. My state of mind approached tranquility. I contemplated the magnificent cascade and wide, birch-laden valley, almost oblivious of the icy water below. For a single moment, I was free of all thoughts about the cost of getting here. I had discovered the Wealth of Scotland…

Part 2 – The Engagement

Continued from Part 1 – An Engaging Story:

I had two things remaining on my to do list: 1) find a ring; 2) tell my parents. I didn’t get around to either that day.

It was now April 19th, the day my girlfriend turned 25 and we were meeting for dinner at 6:00. On the family patio I ran into my father…“Dad I’m–getting engaged.” He stood up. “When?” — “In two hours.” — “You better tell your mother”

Part 1 – An Engaging Story

How A Procrastinating Pragmatist Rediscovered Romance

I was romantic once. It was late summer and I’d been walking with my girlfriend of somewhere-between-eight-and-nine-years down a rolling, park single-track.

“All I want,” she said, “is a sign that you are committed to this relationship and to me and that we have a future together.”

“Listen,” I said, “give me one year and I’ll do it.”

We’d reached the edge of the park when I had a flash of inspiration. I would propose on her birthday, April 19th. She’d like it. It would be romantic. It would be easy to remember.

At that moment I was excited. I was committed. Then I forgot.

Second Chances: UB Mongolia

August 24th, 2008 – a symphony of fireworks exploded over Ulaanbaatar, (or UB as it’s locally known), as crowds jumped and shouted in the streets.  Passengers slapped high-fives with strangers from car windows; horns blared; people danced across the sidewalks. Mongolia, a nation of three million, had just won its second Olympic gold medal ever—its […]

The Zone and the Art of Goat Milking

It took sweat, tears and getting peed on, but this month I learned how to milk a goat. It wouldn’t have been possible without a lesson I learned at eight years old inside a dim elementary school gymnasium, when I first experienced “the zone.” I’m sure you’re familiar with it—that mindset that transports you to […]

How To Milk A Goat

Once you’ve tried it, you might actually like it.  Milking a goat that is!  Now that he’s been doing it for awhile, Will shows off his skills at milking Milky!  It’s all about the technique – and of course, getting in the zone!

Life After Graduation

For recent college grads it’s widely believed that finding a job is hard work—economic crisis or not— but the world is vast, and if you’re open to traveling, it’s possible to find your niche in some pretty unexpected places. That’s how I ended up in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, writing about the nation of Genghis Khan […]