The Wandering Pen: Writers, Historians, and Everyday Stories

Data Centers and Local Control: Protecting Cumberland County’s Land, Water, and Future

Across Pennsylvania, and especially here in Cumberland County, conversations about data centers are no longer abstract or far-off. They're showing up on township agendas, zoning maps, and sometimes—quietly—right in our own backyards. These decisions, often made in small rooms on weeknights, have enormous consequences for our water, our land, our energy grid, and the character of our communities.Most people don't realize that municipalities are the front line. That's where the first doors open—or close—to large data-center projects. And while these developments are marketed as progress or innovation, the reality is more complicated. Many experts are now warning about an "AI data center bubble," meaning we may be building far more of these massive facilities than the industry will actually need long-term. When a bubble forms, growth is driven by hype, not stability—and when it pops, communities are often left with stranded buildings, environmental burdens, and very few benefits.We're already seeing signs of that instability. AI-related stocks have been fluctuating wildly, rising quickly on speculation and then dropping just as fast. That kind of market volatility is a reminder that this rush to build isn't grounded in guaranteed, lasting demand. And yet, our townships—and our landscapes—are asked to carry the risks.At the same time, legislation relating to warehouses and data centers is moving through the Pennsylvania House, and the Senate could take zoning control away from residents and municipalities to regulate warehouse and data center development. Bills like HB 502 and SB 939 would shift decision-making to Harrisburg or even to a single appointed official, removing the public's voice from the process entirely. If local zoning is weakened just as the AI bubble wobbles, communities could lose both their say, their protection, and the landscape they cherish. That's why this episode matters
Today's conversation with Ginny Marcille-Kerslake of Food and Water Watch breaks down what data centers really are, what's at stake for Cumberland County, how quickly these proposals can move, and how residents can use their rights under the Sunshine Act and the Municipal Planning Code (documents) to stay informed and take action. It's a lot to take in, but knowledge is power—and being aware of what's happening at your local meetings and in the state legislature is the first step in protecting our land, our water, and our future. 
Ginny Marcille - Kerslake email gmarcillekerslake@fwwatch.org
Cradle of Conservation: An Environmental History of Pennsylvania
Protect Cumberland County, PA
     
#DataCenters, #AIDataCenters, #CumberlandCountyPA, #PennsylvaniaNews, #PAZoning, #LocalGovernment, #TownshipMeetings, #CommunityRights, #EnvironmentalProtection, #WaterResources, #FoodAndWaterWatch, #SunshineAct, #MunicipalPlanningCode, #TheWanderingPen
 

50 Years After the Edmund Fitzgerald | A Conversation with Bruce Lynn

  Names of the men 
       
   
It's been fifty years since the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was lost in Lake Superior during   a snow squall. Gordon Lightfoot's song "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" made the ship infamous. Lightfoot wrote the song because he felt the boat and its crew were not being honored the way they should have been. 
My guest on this episode is Executive Director Bruce Lynn of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society & Museum. The Historical Society & Museum is located at Whitefish Point, approximately seventeen miles from where the "Fitz" went down. Bruce shares other  stories, too, about ships that have been lost on the Great Lakes, but the focus is on the Edmund Fitzgerald and those lost. What is most important here is - it's more than just a song - more than just a shipwreck story. Twenty-nine lives that were lost on November 9, 1975, for a routine trip across Lake Superior never thought they said "good-bye" to the ones they loved for the last time. Please tune in and learn about the story and the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Please share and follow The Wandering Pen Podcast so you don't miss a story. 
Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum FaceBook Page 
For the live memorial service either click on the link website link or the FB link for access to watch it live online. The service begins at 7 p.m. (est) on November 10. 
The following link will take you to a video shared by the Upper Pennicila, Michigan Supply Company. It's a compelling short that is set to Lightfoots song. In it you will see footage of the "Fitz" being loaded with taconite pellets (iron ore), sailing Lake Superior and the crew on the ship.  Watching the video and listening to the song is powerful. 
https://upsupply.co/journal/the-wreck-of-the-edmund-fitzgerald

Exploring Two Wild Worlds: From Appalachia to Africa

 
   
 
From the Appalachian Trail to the African savanna, this episode explores what it means to live between two wild worlds. Each year, military veteran, Brian N. Johnson leaves his home in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee and travels to Kenya to lead safaris, capture wildlife through his lens, and share the powerful rhythm of life where lions hunt, zebras run, and elephants roam free.
Brian is currently developing his own tour guide business, Alpine and Savanna Adventures, LLC, which he plans to kickoff in 2026.  His mission is to invite others to experience the wonder of the wild — and to see how adventure, purpose, and conservation connect across continents. 
Follow the link to hear Brian's 2015 experience climbing Mt Kilimanjaro with friends Dave & Kris Gilbert to bring awareness to the "Save the Elephants" organization. All photos are courtesy of Brian N. Johnson. 
Climbing Mt Kilimajaro to Save the Elephants in Africa
 
 
 

Uncovering the Hidden Power of Zoning

Zoning might seem like a bureaucratic afterthought—but in truth, it's one of the most powerful forces shaping our daily lives. In this episode, we explore how zoning determines where and how we live, work, and gather. My guest is the author of Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World and the founder of the National Zoning Atlas, a groundbreaking tool that brings clarity to the often-invisible rules governing land use across the country.
   
 
 
 
  Together, we talk about:
Why zoning laws matter more than most people realize
How zoning impacts housing affordability, neighborhood          design, and equit
The environmental concerns around new development,  including data centers           
How the National Zoning Atlas is helping communities understandand change their futures
               From local ordinances to national patterns, this conversation sheds light on the code behind the curtain—and why it's time we all paid attention. National Atlas Website
You can get her book at
Whistlestop Book Shop
https://www.whistlestoppers.com/
129 W High St Carlisle, PA 17013(717) 243-4744
     

What Remains: Autumn, Memory, and Meaning

Why does autumn feel like a story we're living inside? In What Remains: Autumn, Memory, and Meaning, Christine weaves poetry (Keats, George Eliot), paintings (Van Gogh, Millais), and music (Neil Diamond's "September Morn," Mumford & Sons' "October Skies") with the psychology of nostalgia—how scent, colder air, and seasonal change stir memory, belonging, and meaning. A short, reflective listen about beauty and loss, and what lingers when the leaves fall.
 
#Autumn, #Storytelling, #Nostalgia, #Psychology, #Keats, #GeorgeEliot, #VanGogh, #Millais, #NeilDiamond, #Mumford&Sons, #Memory, #Poetry, #Art , Music #Grief, #Identity

Love Letters, War, and the Story That Wouldn’t Let Go

 
What happens when a box of forgotten World War I love letters sparks a story too powerful to stay hidden? In this episode, author Patti Stockdale shares her twenty-year journey of transforming family history into historical fiction, marked by hope, faith, and perseverance. From balancing romance and history on the page to overcoming rejection and finding resilience in the writing life, this conversation will inspire writers, readers, and anyone who loves stories that prove love and determination never go out of style.
#HistoricalFiction #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #PodcastPromo #ReadersOfInstagram #Storytelling #HopeAndHistory #AuthorInterview #WanderingPenPodcast #Perseverance
 

William Thompson: The Forgotten First Colonel of the U.S. Army

Before Washington crossed the Delaware… before the victory at Yorktown… there was William Thompson
            
 In June 1775, this frontier fighter from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, became the very first colonel of the United States Army—leading an elite Rifle Battalion whose skill, precision, and daring helped shape America's fight for independence.
Most Americans have never heard his name. My guest, Dr. John Bonin, is a distinguished military historian who has followed Thompson's path from his stone home—named Soldier's Retreat—along the Conodoguinet Creek, to the icy waters of Lechmere Point, through the brutal hardships of the Canada campaign, and into the quiet obscurity of his final years.   
This story is more than a forgotten chapter of the Revolutionary War. It's a story about leadership, resilience, and the birth of the U.S. Army, which celebrated its 250th birthday this past June.  If you love American history, military history, or storytelling that brings the past to life, you'll want to hear this. And afterwards, please share with a friend, on social media, or in an email, so we can give Thompson the recognition he deserves. 
Dr. John Bonin's book can be downloaded from the Department of Defense website.  Thompson’s Rifle Battalion:  The Original Unit of the Army of the United Colonies 
Contact at - bonins4@planetcable.net
Becoming America - William Thompson, Story of the first colonel of the United States Army commissioned in June 1775 - This video was filmed at the restored William Thompson's house,  "Soldier's Retreat", Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. 
#AmericanHistory #MilitaryHistory #RevolutionaryWar #USArmy #HistoryPodcast #WilliamThompson #StorytellingPodcast #ThompsonsRifleBattalion #ForgottenHistory #TheWanderingPen

From True Crime to Thriller Fiction: A Conversation with Journalist and Author John Luciew

What happens when a journalist who’s spent decades covering real-life crime turns to fiction to tell the stories that linger? In this compelling episode of The Wandering Pen Podcast, host Christine Musser sits down with award-winning Patriot-News journalist and thriller novelist John Luciew.
John shares how his investigative reporting on the chilling Joey Miller case—a serial rapist and killer who terrorized Harrisburg, PA—shaped his understanding of justice, trauma, and storytelling. As the author of Kill the Story and several other fast-paced thrillers, John reflects on the power and responsibility that come with writing both facts and fiction.
https://www.pennlive.com/staff/jluciew/      Facebook Author Page       Amazon Page
Together, they explore:
The blurred line between real-life reporting and fictional storytelling
How journalism influences character development and plot
Why some stories need to be told in more than one form
The impact of local news on public awareness and policy
The ethical tension between reporting, protecting, and revealing
Whether you're drawn to true crime, a lover of suspense novels, or curious about the craft of storytelling from both a journalist’s and novelist’s perspective—this episode delivers.
#TrueCrimePodcast #JohnLuciew #ThrillerFiction #InvestigativeJournalism #KillTheStory #WanderingPenPodcast #CrimeWriting #StorytellingMatters #HarrisburgPA #AuthorInterview #CrimeThriller #PodcastForWriters #NewsroomToNovel

Carrying the Thread: A Lifetime of Love, Loss, & What Remains

n this solo episode, Christine Musser opens her heart to share a personal story of profound grief, layered over decades—the loss of her only sister, her middle brother at age 15, and her husband of 43 years. What begins as a reflection on loss becomes a compassionate offering to others walking the same path.
Christine explores what it means to carry grief not once, but over a lifetime—and how healing doesn't erase the ache, but softens it. Whether you've lost a sibling, a partner, a parent, or someone who simply got you, this episode offers comfort, connection, and quiet solidarity.
You are not alone. We carry these threads together.
Topics include:– Grieving a sibling or sister– Losing a spouse or long-term partner– Layered grief and lifelong mourning– The emotional toll of multiple losses– Coping with grief over time– Finding hope, healing, and self-compassion
💬 If this episode resonates with your journey, please share it with someone who may need to hear it.
🔗 Visit: www.thewanderingpen.net📧 Contact: christine@thewanderingpen.net

Confessional Poetry & Private Pain: From Sylvia Plath to Etheridge Knight

What happens when poetry dares to tell the truth?This episode of The Wandering Pen dives into the raw, revealing world of confessional poetry—a groundbreaking literary genre born in postwar America that redefined poetic voice, vulnerability, and truth-telling.
Hosted by writer and educator Christine Musser, this 30-minute literary exploration traces the movement’s evolution from Robert Lowell’s revolutionary Life Studies to the haunting voices of Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, and John Berryman. Christine examines how these poets exposed their inner lives—grappling with mental illness, trauma, addiction, and identity—while using powerful literary craft to transform suffering into art.
She also highlights lesser-taught voices like Lucille Clifton, Etheridge Knight, and Reetika Vazirani, showing how confessional poetry expanded across race, class, and culture. Along the way, she also explores the criticism, gendered backlash, and lasting impact of this genre—from its influence on memoir and spoken word to its ability to help readers feel seen and heard.
 Featuring dramatic excerpts from iconic poems
Thoughtful literary analysis (craft vs. confession)
 A compassionate warning about suicide and links to resources
Perfect for educators, students, writers, and lovers of bold poetry
#ConfessionalPoetry #SylviaPlath #AnneSexton #PoetryPodcast#MentalHealthAwareness #LiteraryPodcast #TheWanderingPen#WritingThroughPain #EtheridgeKnight #PoetsOfInstagram#PodcastForWriters #PoetryInTheClassroom #TransformingTrauma