Michael Kahn

I write about the things I actually spend my time on: home projects that never go as planned, food worth traveling for, and figuring out which plants will survive my Northern California garden. When I'm not writing, I'm probably on a paddle board (I race competitively), exploring a new city for the food scene, or reminding people that I've raced both camels and ostriches and won both. All true. MK Library is where I share what I figured out the slow way, from actual costs to real mistakes to the occasional thing that worked on the first try.

Dry Creek Bed Landscaping: Curves, a French Drain and Low-Voltage Light

October 18, 2026October 18, 2026 by Michael Kahn

Dry creek bed of smooth gray-green river rock winding between boulders, a clump of ornamental grass and flowering shrubs

How to build a curving dry creek bed over a French drain and light it at 2700K, with rock sizes, drain fabric specs, wiring code and Sacramento rebate rules.

What a $2,000 Gaming PC Build Costs Right Now

October 13, 2026October 12, 2026 by Michael Kahn

Michael kahn sits on an oak desk typing on a keyboard beside the finished gaming pc, its fan rings and base light band lit behind dark glass, with a monstera plant at left

I paid $2,090.18 for eight PC parts on October 6, 2026, including $509.99 for 32GB of memory, to build a Ryzen 5 9600X and Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB gaming PC.

Shark Diving in Oʻahu: Cost, Operators, and What to Expect

October 9, 2026October 8, 2026 by Michael Kahn

A snorkeler at the surface with a galapagos shark passing below in open water off oahu's north shore

Two to three miles off Oʻahu’s North Shore, I slid off the side of a boat into water about 300 feet deep and watched four Galapagos sharks circle below my fins. They passed close enough for long looks, and once my breathing settled, shark diving on Oʻahu turned serene. I booked with Go Adventure Hawaii …

Bicep Strain Recovery: Timeline, Exercises and Treatment

October 10, 2026September 25, 2026 by Michael Kahn

Bare right arm bent at the elbow against a white wall, three days after a sup race injury, with faint marks from the wrap on the skin

My bicep strain recovery program after a SUP race injury and a clean MRI: a pain rule, three strength stages and a staged return to paddling, with the research.

KT Tape for the Elbow: What the Trials Found and How to Apply It

October 10, 2026September 23, 2026 by Michael Kahn

Pink kinesiology tape on a right elbow, strips anchored on the forearm below the crease and running up across the front of the elbow onto the upper arm

How to apply KT tape to the elbow, step by step from published trials, and what peer-reviewed research says it does for pain, strength and stand-up paddling.

My SUP Elbow Injury at Nationals: What It Felt Like and What the Research Says

October 10, 2026September 23, 2026 by Michael Kahn

Michael kahn smiling on the grass at usa sup nationals in gig harbor with his right arm wrapped and a sling tied at his chest, while carl, a nurse practitioner on the event medical team, holds the wrap and gives a shaka

My right elbow gave out in a sprint at USA SUP Nationals. No pop, no bruising, a normal X-ray, and what peer-reviewed research says about a distal bicep tear.

2026 PaddleSplash Festival at Lake Natoma: Races, Relays, Festivities, and Taking Home Gold

October 10, 2026September 14, 2026 by Michael Kahn

Paddler standing beside his 14-foot venture wild sierra pro inflatable board stood on end, wearing race medals and bib 36, at lake natoma

Just past halfway in the 8 Mile at PaddleSplash on September 13, 2026, I parked my 14-foot inflatable at the Aquatic Center turnaround on Lake Natoma, ate half a turkey, cheese and lettuce wrap, and took a selfie. I had ground the upwind leg toward the dam to bank time for that stop, made a …