Trying to find a niche for the Nook
I bought an e-reader and I don’t like it. It’s not the wrong one for me, I did my research. The Kobo was too small, I don’t like Amazon so no Kindle for me, and the iPad provided too many distractions. I have enough trouble trying to watch TV and Facebook at the same time, … Continue reading
Five years later — a thousand years from now
Imagining the future can be tricky. On one hand, we picture ourselves wearing jetpacks, flying through the open sky to get to work in the morning, and sending our relatives off (if we’re lucky) to live in space colonies on the moon. Love triumphs over our petty hatreds and we live in peace, not just … Continue reading
One note
Sometimes all it takes is a note. This winter shall be reflected upon as a season of snow days. I am home now, the victim of the latest snow day (actually due to icy conditions in my county of employ). I am sitting at my desk sifting through the mountain of redundant files in my … Continue reading
Nick Offerman: American ham
Many of us know Nick Offerman as the straightforward, bacon-eating, curmudgeon, Ron Swanson, of NBC’s Parks and Recreation. He’s made quite a name for himself there playing the role of a strictly anti-government parks worker to deadpan perfection. Reaching the heights of pop cultural iconography, his Swansonisms sprawl across the internets and he’s won the … Continue reading
Judging a bookshelf by its covers
A few weeks ago our power went out. It had been happening during bad weather all winter, usually for just a few minutes. This time it lasted hours. Once it got down to 58 degrees we decided to head over to my brother-in-law’s for some heat and electricity. After much fussing and crying I got … Continue reading
Just beneath the surface
Occasionally, I read something that I know is intrinsically good, but I can’t quite figure out why it resonates with me. It’s not a common occurrence, but when it happens, I’m always left feeling a bit uneasy. Suffice to say, I’ve read a lot of comic books, and I can rush to judgment as fast … Continue reading
Be kind, unwind
When I was in graduate coursework for my English degree it was “normal” to stay up reading and taking notes until 3 a.m., to shun social contact until all the work was done, to finish one book, take a “break” to cram a sandwich in my face and then crack open the next brain-bending text. … Continue reading
Pseudonyms
I believe names hold power. They connect us to our family and our culture. Many cultures believe each name has a meaning and therefore names must be picked carefully to suit the bearer. They are one of the first things we ask when we meet someone and forgetting someone’s name can be an insult. People … Continue reading
Better by half
It’s been almost seventeen years since I came out, not yet half my life, but edging closer to it year after year. Even way back then, I felt like I was coming into myself late, twenty-one years old and in my last year of college. Today, I read about out LGBT teenagers in high school … Continue reading
Changing clothes
I’ve been thinking a lot about clothes lately. I mean, I think about clothes constantly — I love fashion — but recently I’ve been aching for a new look, the right look. This happens every once in awhile. Years go by and I begin to notice that the wardrobe in my closet doesn’t match me … Continue reading
