October 16th, 2022 It’s just another day. It’s football day. My dread is warmer than usual, my anxiety sharper. It’s not just another day. My dad legally divorced the Minnesota Vikings in 1998 over an incident neither he nor millions of other sports fans had any control over. My mom stayed committed to them. ThatContinue reading “Just Another Day”
Tag Archives: Honesty
Groundless
October 14th, 2022 I was going to write about fall today. I had a lot of feelings yesterday and thought of some words I was going to write this morning. I was going to take a stunning photo of an autumn tree. And then it snowed. And what I really wanted to talk about cameContinue reading “Groundless”
On The Ground
October 10th, 2022 I just read an essay in which the writer was feeling paralyzed with fear because she felt as though she was living in the shadow of her audience’s expectations of her; she knows she can’t be the best of herself at all times, and people want to believe that you are theContinue reading “On The Ground”
Amsterdam
October 4th, 2022 I knew very little of what I wanted to be as a dad. My friend Kim and I were talking about our families after work tonight; as a special ed teacher, she encountered countless parents who weren’t sure how to react to their families being “different.” She shared with me a storyContinue reading “Amsterdam”
The Comic Show @ Valley Creek Mall
September 17th, 2022 Oh, the humanity. It can be hard to be human, especially when the world is being particularly human-y. It’s one of the reasons I’m taking a break from essays this month; I’m just not up to dealing with it all right now, and the feeling feels mutual. But today? I needed today.Continue reading “The Comic Show @ Valley Creek Mall”
The Kind Monster
September 6th, 2022 Starting today, I’m going to be taking the rest of the month off from posting essays. I feel like you and I could use a break from each other, in a good way. I hope you’ll catch up on posts, if that’s your thing, or pick up some of my work andContinue reading “The Kind Monster”
For You or Not For You
September 5th, 2022 When I saw the State Fair water tower on the horizon this year, the nostalgia hit me harder than normal. Instead of a general flavor, nostalgia tends to get colored by people whose loss feels recent, like yesterday, even though they’ve been gone, say, nearly two years. It got me thinking aboutContinue reading “For You or Not For You”
Stupid Questions
September 2nd, 2022 “So I was looking at the long term / Three quarters and I quit school / Now I break hearts as a learning tool.” – The Next Step, “Honesty & Happiness” As that lyric accurately describes, I did not go to college for long. Even calling it “college” doesn’t feel right. ButContinue reading “Stupid Questions”
Trauma Like Candy
August 25th, 2022 When I was growing up, my dad took us camping a lot. That meant a lot of s’mores, mosquito bites, boat rides, sunburns, worms pierced with hooks, hammocks, and campfires. On one particular trip, during elementary school break, I had become fascinated with the fire pit on the grounds. It was madeContinue reading “Trauma Like Candy”
I Am Not An Illusion
August 24th, 2022 Mystery is an amateur magic show. I get frequently asked why I tell people stuff on the internet. Like, the stuff you shouldn’t really tell people, the stuff people don’t talk about like I think they should, the stuff that is heavy or hard. I do it because I feel like weContinue reading “I Am Not An Illusion”
The Den 