PinnedMember-only“Hi, Ren” Examined (Pt. 1: The Overview)The Many Lessons of a Modern Musical Masterpiece — Note: The following is the first of a three-post series I plan to publish over the next three weeks digging into the online phenomenon of the song “Hi, Ren” and its creator, Ren Gill. This post is an introduction to Ren, with an overview of the reasons I think this…Music13 min readMusic13 min read
PinnedMember-onlyWhy I See The World The Way I Do, Part I: A Call For UnderstandingA biographical summary of who I’m not, who I am and what I believe to help people understand my political worldview better — People frequently misunderstand my perspective on politics and current events. Over the past several years, these misunderstandings have increased and I believe this is largely because of the polarizing incentives of the propaganda landscape we are living in. In this landscape, people too often categorize others with simplistic dichotomies, a…2023 Goal9 min read2023 Goal9 min read
Published in A Bit of Madness·PinnedMember-onlyThe Synchronicity FactoryFiction: A comic take on the extra-dimensional forces that are behind the mysterious force of synchronicity and why we should be grateful for them — 1. INTRODUCING SYLVESTER FORRESTER AND YOURS TRULY 1. Professors, theoreticians and part-time pontificators may gather behind ivy-draped walls in the ivory towers of AfterWorld №9 to dissect the causes for the Synchronicity Factory’s failures, but Sylvester Forrester had little time for such navel-gazing.Fiction64 min readFiction64 min read
Published in Politically Speaking·PinnedMember-onlyThe Value of Safety Third vs. The Smothering MotherA personal reflection on why “Safety Third” creates stronger individuals and better societies — “We’ve heard your frustration with COVID, with the measures that are there to keep people safe.” — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the anti-mandate protesters in February 2022 “If the underlying value of risk minimization is not examined then the COVID regime will be permanent even if COVID is…Politics12 min readPolitics12 min read
PinnedMember-onlyTrees Mend UsPoetry — The trees that mend us are tremendous in their splendor not mere timber but here to help us remember that we’re not so big in our britches Their branches stretching fractals to the sky skeletons on backbones called trunks that ground themPoetry2 min readPoetry2 min read
3 days agoMember-only“Hi, Ren” Examined (Pt. 2: The Reactions)Watching the Reaction Videos to “Hi, Ren” Is Helping Me Fall (Back) In Love with Humanity — Note: This is Part II in a three-part series on musician Ren Gill, his musical and visual masterpiece “Hi, Ren,” and the impact he is having on people. …Music11 min readMusic11 min read
Jan 22Member-onlyMy Gratitude Incantation, Part 1Winter, The Night, The North, The Magician — Note: This is the first in a series of planned blog posts about a gratitude incantation I’ve created which I do at the end of a meditation practice as part of my morning routine that you can read about here. Each one combines the archetypes of the following four things…Personal Development8 min readPersonal Development8 min read
Jan 8Member-onlyMy 2023 Blog Commitment And What I’ll Write AboutStarting a new writing project has never been the issue for me. I’ve got plenty of ideas. No, the issue has always been narrowing down those ideas into something digestible. …Writing Challenge7 min readWriting Challenge7 min read
Jan 3Member-onlyHamlin’s Shocking Collapse Prompts Serious QuestionsOver the past decade as a blogger and as a former sportswriter in the United States, I’ve written a fair amount about football. My relationship status? It’s complicated. And with the shocking, serious injury (death?) to Buffalo Bills defender Damar Hamlin a few hours before I posted this and the…Football7 min readFootball7 min read
Dec 31, 2022Member-only2022, Will I Learn From You?Six lessons 2022 wants to teach me if only I’ll listen — “I don’t feel like writing today.” Too often in 2022, those have been the words in my head, and too often I’ve listened to them. It’s been a really down year for me in the writing department. …202212 min read202212 min read