Open Mike LIVE

Mike enjoys a rainy afternoon in Alexandria on the Crimson House patio.

Despite the stigmas of not owning a car, walking affords a much more intimate relationship with the places I live.

Today’s children enjoy far nicer playgrounds than were around when I was a child.

In this first-person POV of downtown Alexandria, Louisiana, Mike marvels at some of the small towns and unexpected places that have made efforts at better connecting their communities with transit and other pedestrian-oriented measures.

Mike marvels at the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) corporation for its unmatched ability to profit from drumming up conflict and division among young Americans. As US politics devolves into some combination of entertainment and rivalry, at what point should we expect the chambers of Congress to be littered with folding chairs for C-SPAN’s exclusive pay-per-view fights?

During his first week living the streets of Alexandria, Mike bemoans the lack of consideration for pedestrians and non-motorists in the design and construction of roadways throughout American cities.

In the absence of any sort of city recycling service, Mike demonstrates his routine of walking his discarded recyclables to Target - one of the few places that offers any semblance of recycling disposal.

This holiday season, Mike reflects fondly on his hometown Steubenville, praising in particular the way its people treated his mother throughout his childhood.

Mike kicks back with his new friend Robert and throws an impromptu soiree to commemorate the final days of Crimson House Alexandria, as his eviction date of 1 January 2023 draws ominously near…

GLADYS is the wireless audio network powering all bluetooth speakers in Crimson House. WANDA is a musical baton comprising 2 of those speakers.

Mike reflects on how social media and the internet has fundamentally changed the way we talk to each other in real life - listening to respond vs. listening to understand.

Perhaps a dose of humility would enrich this form of conversation. Divided we fall - to some of the worst people imaginable…

Two years after the 2020 West Coast wildfires, Mike opens up and shares the series of traumatic events he faced mere months after moving to Portland, Oregon.

Mike discusses his progress on a couple home improvement projects in the works - including a home security and control system for his smart devices, and a home audio bluetooth network in development.

Silence is an unnatural state that induces discomfort. But it also reveals the extent to which we are accustomed to a noisy world.

Lamenting on his unsatisfaction in his present work in Louisiana, Mike ponders on the next steps in his career and where that will prompt him to move next.

Mike emphasizes his admiration towards his fellow transit warriors who elect to walk in places hostile to pedestrians, that do not provide sidewalks, crosswalks, and basic pedestrian safety features.

proposes a thesis on the correlation between a community's walkability and the preponderance of nice butts among its residents.

Mike shares the excitement of opening a package he'd forgotten that he ordered.

Another morning greets us at Crimson House in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Mike shows off his new home, the newly established Crimson House location in Alexandria, Louisiana.