Erratics

My guest is Molly McCully Brown. Molly is the author of the essay collection Places I’ve Taken My Body ( Persea Books, 2020) and the poetry collection The Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feebleminded (Persea Books, 2017). With Susannah Nevison, she is also the co-author of the poetry collection In the Field Between Us (Persea Books, 2020). Her work has appeared in The Paris Review, Virgin...

My guest  is Adam Miller. Adam is an independent carpenter and consultant specializing in timber and log framing. He serves as editor of Timber Framing , the technical journal of the Timber Framers Guild, and has traveled widely to share his experience and expertise with other woodworkers. He has taught at the Heartwood School, the Timber Framers Guild Community Workshop, and Bard College, among o...

My guest today is the artist, producer, and engineer Elana Carroll, aka Party Nails. Her 2025 album Pillow Talk reached number 1 on Submodern Radio. She has toured widely with her blend of alt-pop, rock, and americana and operates a recording studio, Top Coat Music, in Los Angeles. Party Nails' most recent release is The Party Nails Winter EP, which is available on all streaming platforms and Band...

My guest is Jeff Dietrich. Jeff is a former community engagement professional and artist-in-residence. He is now a photographer and a novice frame-maker, woodworker, photography instructor, writer, election worker, cyclist, adventurer, and general-purpose dabbler. You can find his photos and writings at jeff-dietrich.com , and on his Instagram page @JeffDietrich . I hope you enjoy our conversation...

My guest is Chris Coggins. Chris has been professor of Geography and Asian Studies at Bard College at Simon’s Rock for 27 years, and now teaches at the new Simon’s Rock at Bard College. He is the author of The Tiger and the Pangolin: Nature, Culture, and Conservation in China (2003) and many articles and chapters on geography, environment, and China. He is the editor of, most recently, Sacred Fore...

My guest is Katie Bradshaw. Katie is a doctoral candidate in English literature at the University of Southern California. She is a critic and essayist, and she wants to stay a student and an amateur, and to never become a professional. She has a forthcoming essay in Cambridge Quarterly about writers who draw. Recorded at the University of Southern California Digital Creative Lab in July 2025.

My guest is Lukas Walczak. He is a former community organizer, and at the time of our conversation was the senior advisor to Congressman Robert Garcia in California’s 42nd district. He is now the campaign manager for Perry Meade in California’s 40th congressional district. Recorded in March 2025 in Long Beach, CA.