Mark Kemp

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Up until now, I’ve used this blog page mostly to archive some of my favorite old stories that I’ve written for Rolling Stone, Spin, Option, and several other publications. When I first launched this site back in 2013, my original plan was to also sprinkle in regular posts and updates about what was going on in my life in real time. But I never got around to doing much of that because I was always working.

This changed on April 10, 2025 — my 65th birthday. On that day, I retired after 40 years of working as an editor at various magazines and newspapers. Now, I have unlimited time to think and write; to read and meditate; and to travel with my life partner, Tandra, and her two lovely and talented daughters, Alora and Vivia. Best of all, I’ll be joining Tandra at Thrillermom, the popular family travel blog that she launched when the girls were just babies. They’re now tween- and teenagers, and we all plan to spend our time in the coming years exploring the world together and reporting on our adventures. (Stay tuned here and there for more news on that front.)

In the meantime, I’ll also be posting fresh content on Kempspiel more regularly, offering my personal thoughts on topics ranging from music and the state of the world to spiritual and philosophical matters, including my experiences with psychedelic healing. As a person recovering from an addictive disorder, I’ve achieved a real sense of peace and wholeness through the occasional intentional use of psychedelics and the process of integrating those experiences into my life. This was something that I’d never found (or even imagined) during my 35-year journey in the more rigid world of conventional 12-step recovery.

Psychedelics aren’t for everyone, and I don’t recommend those who have achieved strong sobriety through 12-step programs to take the path I’ve chosen without a full understanding of what that process entails. If you are interested in exploring whether this path is right for you, though, you can find more information on it through the less conventional 12-step program, Psychedelics in Recovery, or PIR. And for the most up-to-date information on the science behind this practice, visit the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research.

I’m excited by the endless possibilities of where my retirement will take me and the people I love during this chapter of my life. If you’d like to join us, please follow this blog. In addition to my general thoughts on the various topics mentioned above, I’ll also be posting news of my writing projects, possible books, adventures with my Thrillermom family, and more.

For now, namaste — may you be filled with peace, light, and love until the next time we meet.