Many people believe that when we die our lives flash before our eyes. If that’s true, I hope it flashes backward.
A linear replaying would be nice, but reruns bore me. It would be way better to see everything in reverse order to offer a new perspective. Read More
It only took half of my first road trip as a father to find myself driving down a rural stretch of highway in a foreign country at an uncertain speed with a pocketful of money I don’t know how to spend and absolutely no idea if I’ve already missed my turn. Read More
Receiving the “most school spirited” award from my graduating high school class seemed like a meaningless superlative until it became Exhibit A in defending why I should be allowed to graduate. Read More
Nothing is permanent in the summer; the plates are made of paper and the best restaurants are housed in plywood shacks.
Nobody wants to over-exert themselves. We insist our summer movies have loud explosions and easy plots. Even stuffy towns let loose with concerts on the green or movies in the park. Read More
A terrible piece of advice I often hear repeated is to “live each day as if it were your last.” What a stupid thing to say.
As someone who would likely spend his last day having a panic attack and crying uncontrollably, my preferred standard is to live each day like you’ve just won a small amount of money on a scratch lotto ticket. Read More
I’ve ordered the exact same pair of shoes at least four times in a row over the past few years.
I’m not afraid of change, I just don’t believe in forcing the issue when there isn’t a problem. Read More
I’ve sporadically attended the same Congregational Church for almost all of my life. I was baptized there and went through years of Sunday School as a child. In the pews, I’d see my friends, next door neighbors, and several teachers.
I went to preschool in the building (where my mother was President of the PTA), raced pinewood derby cars as a cub scout in their rec room, and participated in the Christmas play.
If there was ever a place I felt like I belonged, it was at my church – until I learned I didn’t. Read More
Since I just had my first child, this week’s column features humorous bits cut from older articles to buy me another week while seeming like I’m offering fresh content. Read More
I’ve been full of various thoughts and anxieties leading up to my wife Jenny’s c-section scheduled for Tuesday morning.
The vast majority of them revolve around the health and well-being of my wife and daughter, which brings me some relief because that proves I’m not a narcissist. Although having that thought makes me wonder, again, if perhaps I am. Read More
I think about the future a lot, but also worry that it may be wasted effort since a tractor-trailer truck could sideswipe me out of existence at any moment.
Lately, I’ve been stuck on viewing my life through the traditional five-act structure that was commonly used in Shakespeare’s time:
(1) Introduction, (2) Rising Action, (3) Climax, (4) Falling Action, and (5) Resolution. Read More