Carl J. Petersen

There's a moment at the end of every trip when the suitcases are packed, the car is loaded, and you realize that in just a few minutes, you'll be saying goodbye.

I've felt that moment for as long as I can remember. As a child, it meant leaving relatives after a visit. As an adult, it has followed me through work trips, cross-country moves, and visits with family after relocating from California to Washington.

My latest essay, The Footprints We Leave Behind and What We Keep, explores why departures can feel so emotional—and why those moments may be less about loss than about recognizing that we've just lived through something worth remembering.

Read the full essay:

I expected to write about water slides.

Instead, I found myself thinking about accessibility.

DreamWorks Water Park at the American Dream Mall has a lot going for it: creative theming, genuinely exciting attractions, and employees who often went out of their way to help my family.

But visiting with my two adult daughters, both of whom are on the severe end of the autism spectrum, also exposed design choices and policies that made what should have been a carefree day much more stressful than necessary.

My latest article looks at the good, the bad, and the ugly of the experience. We had a great time, so this isn't meant to discourage anyone from visiting. Instead, I hope to encourage a conversation about how attractions can become more welcoming to every family.

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One of the most amazing parts about being at the first night of Rush's first tour since Neil Peart's passing was watching new touring drummer Anika Nilles win over the crowd. The amount of pressure she was under was immense, but she pulled off her debut with grace.

With every drum fill Anika executed, the roar of the crowd grew. The smile on her face showed her appreciation for the support. The pride plastered on Geddy Lee's face made the night even more special.

As the end of the evening neared and the opening chords of Tom Sawyer played, a sense of nervousness filled the air. Could she pull off the most famous of Neil Peart's solos?

As she played, the roar of the crowd crescendoed. By the time she reached the end, the smile on her face reached ear to ear, and the applause only got louder.

The answer was: yes, she could.

For more about my reaction to that emotional night, please read my article at:

For 19 years, I experienced Father's Day from both sides—as a son and as a father.

I didn't fully appreciate how special that was until my dad was gone.

In this essay, I reflect on the relationship we built over decades, how he evolved from Dad to "Poppy," and why I chose to carry that name forward when I became a grandfather. It's a story about family, loss, growth, and the connections that span generations.

Rush's return to the stage wasn't simply a reunion tour.

For many fans, it became the goodbye that never happened when Neil Peart passed away during the pandemic. Opening night at the Forum was filled with celebration, grief, laughter, and some unforgettable musical moments as Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson honored their friend while beginning a new chapter with Anika Nilles.

I was there for the opening show and wrote about what made the evening so memorable—from the tributes to Neil to the surprises in the setlist and what it felt like to hear these songs live again.

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New article: A Prayer for My Country

Sometimes a concert becomes something more than a concert.

What I expected to be a bucket-list Bruce Springsteen show in Brooklyn turned into a reflection on patriotism, community, and hope in a deeply divided America. This essay explores why Springsteen's music still resonates—and why I left the arena feeling more optimistic than when I arrived.

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One of the most interesting questions in American politics is whether electoral success is the same thing as political competence.

Donald Trump has repeatedly survived controversies that many believed would end his political career. But surviving isn't necessarily the same as governing well.

In my latest article, I look at the disconnect between Trump's ability to defy expectations and a record of political decisions that may ultimately cost the Republican Party.

Read the full piece here:

I left New York for Los Angeles chasing music dreams. Decades later, I found myself moving again, this time to Washington.

Somewhere along the way, I started wondering where "home" actually is.

Is it where you were born? The place where you spent the most years? The place where your family is? Or is home something you carry with you?

My latest essay starts with a childhood baseball mishap and ends with a question I've been trying to answer for most of my life.

With Rush returning to the stage this weekend, I decided to prepare by listening to all 19 studio albums in chronological order.

What started as concert prep became a journey through nearly five decades of music, from the hard-rock roots of the debut album to the farewell statement of Clockwork Angels. Along the way, I ranked every studio release and reflected on the partnership between Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart that made it all possible.

One thing became clear: every album contributed something lasting to the band's legacy.

I wrote about the experience here:

Trump's Strategic Misfires: Snatching Defeat from Victory in California

California's top-two primary system created a scenario that many observers thought could produce an all-Republican general election for governor—a remarkable possibility in one of the nation's bluest states.

Instead, a high-profile endorsement may have altered the balance of the race and reduced the chances of that outcome.

This article explores California's political evolution, the legacy of Pete Wilson-era immigration politics, and whether Donald Trump's political instincts are becoming a liability for his own party.

Sometimes the hardest strategic move is doing nothing at all.

LAUSD voters are heading to the polls at a moment of uncertainty for the nation's second-largest school district.

With layoffs looming, Superintendent Carvalho on paid leave while under federal investigation, and ongoing debates about charter school oversight, the next school board will face enormous challenges.

In my latest article, I explain why I'm endorsing Ankur Patel in Board District 4 and Dr. Rocío Rivas in Board District 2. I also discuss the importance of special education advocacy, transparency, and accountability as the district navigates the years ahead.

LAUSD serves a large population of students who rely on Special Education services—yet it rarely comes up in meaningful detail during school board elections.

To try to bring more clarity to the June 2, 2026 race, I sent six questions about Special Education to every candidate running for LAUSD School Board. The questions focused on IEP services, funding, charter school enrollment disparities, accountability, and how families navigate the system.

So far, only Board District 4 candidate Ankur Patel has responded.

His answers are here for anyone who wants to understand where at least one candidate stands on these issues before voting.

Special Education is often discussed in terms of budgets and policy frameworks, but for families it’s something much more immediate: whether services are actually delivered, whether support staff are available, and whether schools are equipped to meet students where they are.

Trump ran on ending “forever wars.”

Instead, he’s launched a new conflict that’s already destabilizing global markets and raising serious questions about America’s diminishing influence.

In Part 2 of my Trump’s Strategic Misfires series, I look at how Trump went from the candidate who promised peace to the president who is now escalating a war with no clear endgame — and why the political fallout may be just beginning.

Trump’s Mid-Cycle Redistricting Push Is Turning Into a National Arms Race

Redistricting is suddenly one of the biggest political stories of this election cycle — and it’s reshaping power in real time.

Trump’s push for mid-cycle redistricting was meant to protect Republicans from the usual midterm backlash. Instead, it triggered a predictable chain reaction: red states pushed aggressive gerrymanders, blue states responded with counter-maps, and the result is a nationwide tit-for-tat that may ultimately cancel out the advantage Trump hoped to create.

But the bigger risk is this: these maps assume voter coalitions stay frozen in place.

If key groups continue shifting — especially Hispanic voters reacting to Trump’s immigration crackdowns — some of these “safe” districts could become dummymanders, collapsing the moment turnout and voting behavior changes.

I break down how this battle unfolded, why it may backfire politically, and why redistricting could end up energizing the very voters Republicans were trying to neutralize.

Full article:

Schools talk a lot about inclusion, but too often we still fail students with neurological disabilities—not through policy, but through ignorance, stigma, and public shaming.

I wrote this article after remembering a moment from high school finals week, when a student with Tourette’s became the center of attention because teachers weren’t prepared and didn’t understand what they were hearing. That memory came back after reading about a Tourette’s advocate who was humiliated on live television when his involuntary tics were broadcast without any safeguards.

As the father of a daughter diagnosed with Tourette’s and severe autism, I’ve seen firsthand how easily society labels involuntary neurological symptoms as “disruptive behavior.”

We’ve gotten better at building ramps and removing physical barriers. But we still have a long way to go when it comes to neurological inclusion in schools and public spaces.

Shaming the Uncontrollable

Ever get the feeling Marty forgot to fix something on our timeline? Between the branding, the renaming, and the effort to stamp one man’s name onto public institutions, it’s starting to feel like we’re living in the Biff Tannen version of America.

I wrote about it here: The Legacy Trump Is Building for Himself

After nearly 40 years in Los Angeles, I got used to a life where the seasons barely changed. Moving to Washington State brought them back — along with a sense of wonder I didn’t realize I had lost.

This essay is about snow, springtime renewal, and learning to notice the small changes outside my window again.