Published inWeirdo Poetry·PinnedMember-onlyThe Accidental Fire That Sparked a Deliberate LifeA story about Henry David Thoreau that history has forgotten — As wildfire season continues here in the Western United States, here is a story about one of our first and greatest guardians of the environment. He also happens to be someone that started a forest fire. Scroll to the bottom of this piece to find the full text-only essay.Comics5 min readComics5 min read
3 days agoMember-onlyPunk Rock EarnestnessOverthrowing the system with kindness? — I belong to Gen X. I grew up on a steady media diet of sarcasm and snark. We were the punk rock generation — anti-establishment, non-conformist, and indifferent. Of course, generational labels are ridiculous. While my age cohort has a lot of cultural things in common, each of us is…Gen X2 min readGen X2 min read
4 days agoMember-onlyWhat Do We Owe the Dead?This is what it means to be alive — I lived most of my life as part of a faith tradition(1) that made doing work for the dead a central tenant of not only religion, but of life(2). It was taken for granted that we all have souls, or spirits, that will continue to exist after we have sluffed…Death4 min readDeath4 min read
May 24Member-onlyStages of CreativityWhere new ideas really come from — For me, the two most important parts of doing creative work are experimentation and fermentation. Two years ago, Paul McCartney and Rick Rubin released a short documentary miniseries called McCartney 3, 2, 1 that delved into how Paul and the other Beatles worked. In the fourth episode, Paul talked about…Creativity2 min readCreativity2 min read
May 23Member-onlyAnother SeasonDo I have the strength to adapt? — Voles instinctively know the seasons change from winter to spring. They leap up from hibernation ready to take care of essential business — eating, mating, and nesting. No therapist signals the trees to start budding in the spring so their flowers will be ready for the pollinators. But humans are…Personal Development2 min readPersonal Development2 min read
May 22Member-onlyThe Last Time Dad Hit MeWhat happened when I stood up to my father — I don’t remember the last time Dad hit me. But I do remember the last time I was willing to put up with it. I don’t remember what he was so angry about. Dad was sitting in his sky-blue recliner, yelling. …Family2 min readFamily2 min read
May 21Member-onlyWhen Time Stops FlowingWhat the music really means — The music you first heard when you were a teenager starts out as a soundtrack running in the background of your memory movies. Given enough time and attention, these songs become a kind of talisman. When you want to feel the sweet confusion of first love, the idiotic freedom of…Music2 min readMusic2 min read
May 20Member-onlyLove is Like SunscreenYou should smear the word love all over… — Poetry2 min readPoetry2 min read
May 19Member-onlyWhat Does Sacred Mean to You?Where can you connect to the divine? — I grew up in a religion obsessed with sacred spaces. I was a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (often referred to as the Mormon Church) until one day I wasn’t. I’m no longer religious, but I am spiritual. …Sacred4 min readSacred4 min read
May 18Member-onlyPoetry is for Ugly PeopleWe are all ugly — Poetry is for you, the one with the right eye that’s slightly larger than your left eye. It’s for you, the one who is too thin, and me, the one who is too fat. Poetry is for all of us with scars, burns, and birthmarks. It’s for you, the one…Poetry2 min readPoetry2 min read
