When people don't have skills to manage distressing realities they sometimes assuage discomfort through diminishing, repetitious proclamations; like commercials advertising products you don't need. It was often contradictory accusations like shut up, I can't hear you. Stop trying so hard, lazy. You need to do a little soul searching. Oh fa' gods sake,…Read more Night and Day
J
“he never says anything off the top of his head”
― Alice Walker, The Color Purple
La Postal
Hi, How was your weekend? I hope it was restful. Life is so complex; I mean, it's beautiful but it doesn't exactly come with an instruction manual. There's the word and fairy tales but sometimes we find ourselves in a story gap. Yea? This morning on my run (which I had to do early before…Read more La Postal
Memotaph
Illusions of safety Attributable to income, incoming Building walls or mending fences? Buying organs, identities, nests Restoration Hardware without the rest Free People Anthro-pologies, we're sorry Batteries not included Starbuck junior If you're hungry They feed you the Body You can take me to church But the poor (of spirit of commerce) are the ones who…Read more Memotaph
No Thanks
It's not that I'm anti mothers or ungrateful for the miracle of human reproduction but I've always found myself averse towards rewarding adult choices. There's something trivializing and strangely dysfunctional about this particular holiday. Again, it's not that I don't appreciate the concept of caregiving, it just feels like the original intent for the holiday…Read more No Thanks
V.I.P
It was a radio, then t.v show that started in the 40's and ran for over 20 years; Queen for a Day. Also called the 'Cinderella show', it featured four women sitting in front of a studio audience while Jack Bailey summarized each of their personal struggles with a poetic, mildly sexist, lilt. The audience would…Read more V.I.P
Hello, My Name is Pleasantville
Pleasantville was a film written, directed and produced by Gary Ross in the late 90's. A dystopian fairy tale of sorts, it didn't do so well in the box office despite the talented, well known cast, stunning cinematography and nostalgic soundtrack. The film has always resonated with me because of its strong undertones of civil…Read more Hello, My Name is Pleasantville
Shrink
Jantelovian Law was created by a Danish author in what is believed to be a moment of literary sarcasm. They're essentially the 10 commandments of selflessness. In Scandinavia you're not a special snowflake. If you attempt to distinguish yourself in tall poppy fashion you're likely to be cut down and sentenced to volunteer as a…Read more Shrink
Witness
It's considered socially commendable to talk about your status as a war veteran, being the survivor of a natural disaster, shark attack or your amazing weight loss journey. People wildly applaud your bravery as you stand on farming equipment in your underpants getting weighed on national television. Lots of circumstances and challenges now come with campaigns,…Read more Witness
Hey, It’s Ok
Over the holidays I talked with a couple of girlfriends who were heartsick over games of emotional tug of war, also known as codependence. Codependent love goes like this: Here's all the shitty, unreasonable, terrible, horrible, no good things this person did and here's all the great, rule-following, generous, responsible, hard-working, sacrificial, exhausting, never-ending, perfect things I…Read more Hey, It’s Ok
More
She'd shake me awake in the dark. Not bothering to shower, I'd twist my hair into a bun and follow her to the car. The women in my mother's family all worked in some kind of nursing capacity. They also share a painful legacy of miscarriages. My initial aversion to bodily fluids and human…Read more More
Born in Providence 