On What I’ll Take Away from 2011

A few weeks ago I mailed out Christmas cards. It’s something I’ve done for about a decade now, mailing out cards to close friends and random strangers. (Last year, for instance, Harlan Ellison received a card from me. Since I’m writing this, it clearly didn’t displease him.) I usually have a “main” design that goesContinue reading “On What I’ll Take Away from 2011”

On Five Movies Everyone Should See

Five movies that everyone should, in my opinion, watch at least once. Y’know, I’ve never given this a moment’s thought. So here goes. 1. A Hard Day’s Night. It’s the first Beatles movie. It’s the black & white Beatles movie. It’s a riot. I love it. I’m too young to know what Beatlemania was, andContinue reading “On Five Movies Everyone Should See”

On Fascinating Periods of History

At times, I think of myself as an amateur historian. It's unsurprising that I think of myself in that way; I was a history student in college, after all, and my library is filled with history books, from general histories of the world to histories of specific periods to histories of specific ideas. Among theContinue reading “On Fascinating Periods of History”

On An Urgent Need For Digestive Biscuits

If I could have a lifetime supply of something, it would be McVittie’s Digestive Biscuits. My sister did a semester abroad in London, and when she came back, she came back with all sorts of marvelous treats. Maynard Wine Gums! (Which are seriously awesome, by the way.) McVittie’s Digestive Biscuits! Stuff I’ve totally forgotten inContinue reading “On An Urgent Need For Digestive Biscuits”

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”

On Wishing I Had More Time for Writing

This is going to sound nonsensical, but I’ll say it all the same. I wish I spent more time writing than I do. It’s nonsensical, in that I spend a lot of time writing. My day job is writing marketing copy; I’ve estimated that I produce between 80,000 and 100,000 words a month, depending onContinue reading “On Wishing I Had More Time for Writing”

On Disappointment in Marvel Studios’ Thor

I don’t go to the movies very often. Five years ago, I would go at least once a month. Sometimes, during summer blockbuster season, multiple times a week. Now, I go to the movies maybe twice a year. In 2010, i saw Sherlock Holmes on New Year’s Day and The Chronicles of Narnia: The VoyageContinue reading “On Disappointment in Marvel Studios’ Thor”