Whenever I am in search of a solid foundation of wisdom upon which to build the structure of my life, I don’t look to religion or philosophy. I tend, instead, to evoke the moral principles and pragmatic understanding that I have gained from several years of working in restaurants, as well as the many more… Read more »
I have found myself, lately, finding refuge from the troubles of the world by spending time revisiting some old films and books that I have enjoyed in the past. It seems somewhat counterintuitive, but the most comforting of these mini-escapes have come in the form of old horror stories. Sitting in the backyard on weekend… Read more »
I do love sleep, but we have trust issues. Such a capricious and fickle lover, always promising to stay the night, but so often and so disappointingly disappearing in the wee small hours, just when needed the most. Good thing there are several playlists for this kind of thing. (I have playlists for nearly every… Read more »
After a restless night, you get a late start on the day. It’s well after ten o’clock, and you’re still drinking your morning coffee, gloomily contemplating the day ahead. A spider web in the corner of the ceiling, a partially clogged drain, a sink full of dirty dishes, a basket full of unwashed clothes. All… Read more »
One of the most potent aspects of art is that it can help us understand and come to terms with the darker aspects of the world and ourselves. The mysterious power that the storyteller brings to bear is their ability to simultaneously call forth, examine, and assuage the fears that haunt us, the traumas that… Read more »
Perhaps because of my well-known penchants for sloth and hedonism, people close to me have been trying to convince me I would enjoy a visit to a local Nordic spa. They are absolutely bewildered when I try to explain to them that this is way, way down on the list of things I am eager… Read more »
As Alexander Pope once pointed out, to err is human. Mistakes, just like forms of love, are of infinite variety, coming in all shapes and sizes. Error, clanger, boner, blunder, mishap, foible, fuck up, and faux pas; viewed from a certain perspective, my own life has been an impressive litany of them. There are those… Read more »
A friend of mine (let’s call him Nels, because that’s his name) is one of those really gloomy types you sometimes meet. He’s forever whingeing on about the way human beings are devastating and wasting the planet. Sort of like doom scrolling personified. Maybe I am shallow, blasé, and oblivious, but I just can’t abide… Read more »
Why is it that some of the more highly evolved human beings are able to skate through life more or less unscathed by stress? They go about their days with a calm demeanor and an efficient, pragmatic approach to the challenges of the world. No doubt they are continually checking off chores, accomplishments, and major… Read more »
As we all know, there are certain things that happen to other people that will never happen to us. Chief among these is death. Other people will pass away, and we shall mourn them and miss them terribly. We will miss their companionship, and all the things that were so lovely and infuriating about them. … Read more »