Several years ago, one afternoon at work, I was reading an article on The Guardian about the Arab Spring and the violent reprisals various Arab governments launched, especially in Syria. The specificity of the memory — where I was, what it was about — is striking. What followed has stayed with me. There was aContinue reading “When the World Overwhelms…”
Tag Archives: Life
A Graveyard of Watermelons
Today I went for a walkabout. It’s a nice autumn day, it’s nice to get outside. The walk just so happened to coincide with the Automattic Worldwide WP 5K, a virtual 5K for users of WordPress. It’s not really a race, and I certainly didn’t run. So, I’ll say that my walk today was partContinue reading “A Graveyard of Watermelons”
On (Not) Going Hollywood
Around the age of nineteen or twenty, I had the idea that I might want to work in film. I had no talent as an actor, I had no desire to attend film school or take classes, and my attempts at writing scripts were laughable at best. At the time, the Star Trek television seriesContinue reading “On (Not) Going Hollywood”
A Haunting Memory from Childhood
There is a memory from childhood that haunts me. I was in bed last night, staring at the ceiling, and the memory came to me, demanding attention. It may have been in elementary school, though junior high seems more likely. I can’t place it exactly in my mind. Seventh grade, perhaps? 1984? That seems notContinue reading “A Haunting Memory from Childhood”
On Momentousness
Oh, look at that. A new year’s begun, I’ve barely noted it, and the first month is already half gone. Hopefully the rest of the year won’t pass by in such a whirl. 🙂 This year will be momentous. I can feel it, and I’m already making plans. I intend to write more. I’ve alreadyContinue reading “On Momentousness”
On the Sunday Feeling
Today I felt unnerved, even apprehensive. I couldn’t figure out why. I posted on Twitter that I felt “lonely,” but that couldn’t be it, surely? Then I realized that I hadn’t had a meaningful conversation with anyone in a day and a half. See, I don’t handle solitude well. It’s a weird personality quirk ofContinue reading “On the Sunday Feeling”
On the Week That Was
It’s been a week. Every month when the catalogs go to press, it’s a rougher week than usual. There’s last minute writing (often late night alcohol-fueled writing), long days at the office, and needless stress. This month, all of that was amped up to eleven. There were also spreadsheets to be entered into the CMS,Continue reading “On the Week That Was”
On 2011 In Review
January 1st. The start of a new year. A “turn the page” moment, a time when the slate is wiped clean and one can start fresh. That’s my feeling on every day, that the new day is a blank slate on which anything can be written, so it should be my feeling on the startContinue reading “On 2011 In Review”
On Philosophies and Birthday Wishes
The son of a friend of mine had a birthday recently. This is the (slightly edited) text of the e-mail I sent him. As you are turning twelve, I wanted to give you two pieces of advice. First, cherish the coming year and live every day as if it will never end. You are twelve,Continue reading “On Philosophies and Birthday Wishes”
On Reliving Moments from the Past
If you got to relive one day of your life, when would it be? It’s tempting to pick a day when something really bad happened. Maybe it’s a date of an unfortunate accident, like getting lost in fog and running a car headfirst into a stone wall. Maybe it’s a day when a drunk driverContinue reading “On Reliving Moments from the Past”