O.W. Root

Author of Modern Lives / Columnist - @mich_enjoyer, @theblaze / Style Advising - @NecktieSalvage / Steering - @foxandroot / Growing - @trunkville

[O.W. Root @owroot]

Everything and everyone is saturated to the gills with political commentary, hot takes, discourse, and pissed-off snark. People and the internet are so filled with all of this they don’t really have time or space for anything else.

Longtime followers know that I think this whole culture and drift is toxic and erodes the human spirit and the possibility of culture and life. You also know I am most interested in writing about, talking photos of, and exploring life in our modern world. Trying to make, and document, (honest) life as art in our age of clickbait-algo spectator reactive discourse.

For the past six months I have been working on compiling a collection of short essays and vignettes I have written over the years into a single print volume and I am thrilled to share it with you.

In curating this collection for print I was adamant about a few things.

I wanted a classic, simple, beautiful design inside and out.

I wanted a book that you could carry around, toss on your bed, put in your pocket, shove in your bag, manhandle on the beach, write in, write on, and everything else in-between.

For me, the point of this collection isn’t to produce an epic hardcover tome. It’s something more informal and approachable. Something simpler and relatable.

I’ve always loved those little paperbacks. You know, the ones they say they aren’t going to make anymore. Well, I want to still make them or something similar to them. I wanted this collection to be as close as possible to that rugged, personal, carefree spirit.

The book itself is about 5 in. X 7.75 in.. About as small as you can get these days. The design is simple and (hopefully) timeless, the font is warm, the margins are ample, and the pieces honest.

There’s a link in my linktree / bio to Amazon where you can Buy Modern Lives. Or of course, just search Amazon as we all so often do and that will work just as well.

No politics, no hot-takes, no reaction, no discourse; just life.

[O.W. Root @owroot]

*Me stepping outside onto the sunny deck and crisp morning air*

“Guys, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.”

*Six year old son preparing markers and water in beakers*

“Yeah, this is the day I make potions.”

[O.W. Root @owroot]

This is Northern Michigan

The water far out in the northern stretches is crystal clear.

[O.W. Root @owroot]

Good morning, Sunday morning

[O.W. Root @owroot]

“There was a little tape, no bigger than a few fingers. We put it in the answering machine and when peopled called they would record a message for us on it.”

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@scotthall32 Very nice!

[O.W. Root @owroot]

Drinking bourbon in my office and working on a Saturday night.

[O.W. Root @owroot]

The four posters of the apocalypse

These were so absurdly common in dorm rooms, student ghetto houses and the like back in the day.

They were the posters you would flip through at the bookstore pre-Amazon.

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@DanDonatoV You are right. Even the water has it.

re: pfp - wonderful!

[O.W. Root @owroot]

That’s a September sky.

You can just tell.

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@Poignantpitch Yes.

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@KeturahAbigail @shagbark_hick 😂😂

Eternal truths!

[O.W. Root @owroot]

Women love having blankets around. If they are on the couch, they need to have a blanket too.

Men don't really care about blankets.

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@MNEOGA HAHAHA

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@Gigachadaho My pleasure!

Haha, oh man I love the idea of that.

Moves in July and is sucker punched and beat down Jan - March.

😂

[O.W. Root @owroot]

A long busy week of work, travel, photography, and writing. And now my brain is tired and it’s time to log off as the sun sets and remind myself of what matters most.

I hope you all have a warm and wonderful weekend.

[Necktie Salvage Advising @NecktieSalvage]

It was cool enough this morning for a real chunky wool sweater and though it's terribly sad to see the beach days pass, there is such a comforting home-like feeling in the think chunk wool sweater.

True comfort.

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@bobby_on_mars 🥂

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@nessundorma47 As it exactly should be.

(My wife is currently sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee and a blanket)

[O.W. Root @owroot]

@LeoVirgo369 This is the eternal tension which keeps the world in motion.

Man sets thermostat low, woman longs for the blanket.

The perfect order.