Journaling Day 1: Okay, I’m Going to Try This 30-Day Journaling Challenge

A few days ago my acquaintance Bakari Chavanu posted a link on Facebook to a 30-day Digital Journaling Challenge. It seemed up my alley—I’ve considered NaNoWriMo for years, but I’m more interested in blogging and composing articles than in trying my hand at writing a novel. I have mad respect and a slight bit of envy for my cool writer friends who can do that kind of thing. Digital journaling seems easier and more in line with my interests, so sure, why not? I signed up.

Apparently I’ll receive one or two daily journal-writing prompts in my inbox. My plan is to attempt to post one blog post a day, maybe here, maybe on other sites, for the next 30 days. What I write might not fall under the category of “journaling,” and that’s okay ‘cuz it’s my damn blog and I can write what I want. So let’s get started! Continue reading “Journaling Day 1: Okay, I’m Going to Try This 30-Day Journaling Challenge” →

Horn Lines, The Signature Sound of Today’s Pop Hits?

I have a casual fascination with pop music trends, those tweaks to the pop formulas that work fantastically for some period of time before pop slides into the next hip set of sounds. It’s interesting to me when some trend is distinct yet ubiquitous—it’s often a sign that the sound won’t be popular very long. For a moment the top hits will display the fad, then everyone will mimic the sound. But trends shift, and distinct trends can quickly sound “so last year.” Continue reading “Horn Lines, The Signature Sound of Today’s Pop Hits?” →

Mopey Musings on My Dead Father’s Birthday

My father would have been 76 today, except that he died two years and one day ago. Being from Philadelphia, silly as it is, I would have celebrated his 76th as an extra-special birthday.

Mourning and grief are reasonable. Mourning and grief are irrational. I make decisions to feel and behave a certain way, but I still find tears in my eyes during Johnny Cash songs in the car. We would sing along to a Greatest Hits cassette in the kitchen when I was a kid. Why didn’t I ever accept his invitations to go to Chi-Chi’s for karaoke? Continue reading “Mopey Musings on My Dead Father’s Birthday” →

Seventh Grade English Writing Assignment: “English: Descriptive Language”

Here’s another elementary school assignment I typed up. In this one, I had to try to cram in examples of descriptive language and identify them for the teacher. Blah. I left my old notes in. I’m pretty sure from the language used that I didn’t take the assignment too seriously—and after reading the teacher’s notes, it looks like I didn’t follow the directions too closely, either.

I left in any grammar and spelling mistakes I may have made. I’m pretty sure I had trouble keeping the tense consistent at that time. It’s all over the place! Continue reading “Seventh Grade English Writing Assignment: “English: Descriptive Language”” →

I Had Minor Surgery on My Leg Today

The procedure is called varicose vein ablation, or “VNUS Closure™.” I have a family history of blood clots, which I’ve been taking into account in recent health decisions (avoiding hormonal birth control, exercising more to increase cardiovascular health, etc.). The pulmonary embolism my mom suffered a few months ago spurred me to check out treatment options for the varicose vein I’ve had on my right leg since I was 19. (Retail. Long shifts standing in one place.)

I’m throwing this post up quickly; just wanted to keep my family and some others in the loop. Pictures after the jump. Note: Don’t look if you’re squeamish. Continue reading “I Had Minor Surgery on My Leg Today” →

Dear Morgan Freeman-loving Atheists: Race Blindness Doesn’t Solve the Race Problem

This post sat in my Drafts folder for more than a year ‘cuz I’m a chicken who generally prefers to avoid spending time in internet debates on contentious topics. But now I’m trying to clean up my Drafts folders, so here it is.

A couple days before Martin Luther King Jr. day, a skeptic friend of mine posted this on Facebook:

Morgan Freeman solves the race problem.

Continue reading “Dear Morgan Freeman-loving Atheists: Race Blindness Doesn’t Solve the Race Problem” →