January 16th, 2021 Highway hypnosis is the phenomenon of daydreaming so profoundly that you find yourself at the destination of a journey without being able to remember how you got there. It’s called that because it usually happens behind the wheel. I never thought that my grief would sometimes manifest itself in this way. Often,Continue reading “falling asleep behind the wheel”
Author Archives: dennisvogen
Brushfire In-Depth: January 14th, 2021
January 14th, 2021 The creation of my first all-ages graphic novel, Brushfire, is well underway and (as promised!) here’s an update of how it’s going. This is concept art for arguably the most important location in the entire series: Faribault’s Central Park. Brushfire — which, if this is the first you’ve heard of it, isContinue reading “Brushfire In-Depth: January 14th, 2021”
Told Ya
January 14th, 2021 Imagine that you’re at a restaurant with your family. A few tables down sits a man, and he is drunk. Initially, he’s just rambling incoherently and maybe using language and slurs that make your family uncomfortable. Eventually, though, he starts to say undeniably threatening remarks. You alert some of the staff andContinue reading “Told Ya”
Forgive & I’ll Live
January 10th, 2021 Somebody on the internet set me off tonight. Someone I love said, “You’re a writer. You should be better than the words that you’re saying right now.” She’s right. I can not, no matter how hard I try, ever understand people who live to set fire to the world, and who intentionallyContinue reading “Forgive & I’ll Live”
Truth & Consequence
January 9th, 2021 Apparently, some jerk got kicked off Twitter forever and people think it’s an example of silencing freedom of speech. In fact, there are a lot of people who think violating social media platforms’ rules and having their posts or access adjusted or removed accordingly is also that, apparently forgetting that when theyContinue reading “Truth & Consequence”
WAVES
January 8th, 2021 I played cribbage with my dad today. I asked him how he was doing, and the sign he did with his hand was a gentle current, like this photo of a sound wave, representing that he was in a constant state of feeling up and down. Our universe is made of vibrations;Continue reading “WAVES”
Come On (Up or) Down
January 7th, 2021 I’m about to get that kind of honest where it’s hard to look a person in the eyes after. If that sounds like your idea of a good time, slide into this booth next to me and let’s talk. With everything that’s happened over the past year, and especially after losing myContinue reading “Come On (Up or) Down”
Land of the
January 6th, 2021 I’ve been real good at staying apolitical as of late, but I feel like I’ve lost a little of my punk rock attitude and we’ve all been getting along too well. So let’s get to it, friends! What is happening in Washington right now is just about as anti-American and anti-democratic (asContinue reading “Land of the”
The Jazz of Physics
January 4th, 2021 I devoured this book in two days. You guys, if I haven’t told you, I’ve been having trouble with faith and hope and happiness and stuff, and The Jazz of Physics was exactly what I needed. Like, exactly. I have so much to talk to you about. I have so many wordsContinue reading “The Jazz of Physics”
2020: A Lesson, A Curriculum, An Education
December 31st, 2020 It is fair to say that this year sucked. It is damn fair. And it is a truth that we will have wasted our time if we decide to learn nothing from it. So, with that in mind, here is some of what I learned. – I learned not only is tomorrowContinue reading “2020: A Lesson, A Curriculum, An Education”
The Den 