Did You Catch My Cameo in The Way I See It?
Did I name Pete Souza’s book, The Way I See It, about President Obama? The answer is: it’s complicated. I do have a cameo in the documentary.
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This Just In: Let’s Talk About Anxiety
I was an anxious kid. Nothing was diagnosed, but I would worry about things outside my control. Nothing in particular, just the possibility of something happening. My anxiety was manageable for the majority of my life. Then I began working with teenagers. Fifteen years taking kids on trips, some of them overseas, heightened my anxiety,…
Tell Me Why
The city cut down a tree in front of our neighbor’s house today. I’m not sure why the tree was cut down. Perhaps it was sick? All I know is a team with big machines and trucks spent the better part of the morning cutting down the giant tree. Now it’s just a stump, which…
This Just In: Resurrecting Imagination
I took an optional summer geometry class in high school. My friends and I enrolled in the accelerated 6-week course to qualify for Algebra II during the school year. Yes, we were nerds, and yes, I’m okay admitting it. On the surface, geometry is all shapes and angles. Yet, underneath the polygons and isosceles triangles…
This Just In: Choice In Video Games
Have video games lost their appeal? Last week I watched High Score on Netflix. It’s a six-part docuseries on the history of video games. For most of the episodes, it was a walk straight down Memory Lane. The first video game I remember playing is Duck Hunt on the original Nintendo Entertainment System. Pulling the trigger…
Breathe in. Breathe out. Move on.
Are you burnt out? You’re not alone. Take some advice from Jimmy Buffett: Breathe in, breathe out, move on.
This Just In: College Is Obsolete
The higher education bubble is finally bursting My freshman year of college began in late August 2001. Less than a month into my pseudo-adulthood, the entire world changed. None of us knew what was happening on September 11th. We huddled together in dorms to morn and vent and seek answers together. Classes adapted to discuss terrorism…
This Just In: Never-Ending Stories
In a world of uncertainty, it’s time we don’t take our storytelling too seriously. There’s a lot to learn from fanfiction and the MCU.
This Just In: Bio Tracking
Do you know what your resting heart rate is? JJ Abrams guest-edited a 2009 issue of Wired Magazine titled “The Mystery Issue.” From Abrams’ editorial to uncrackable CIA codes, every corner of the magazine engaged the reader with games, puzzles, and an exploration of the unknown. At the end of the magazine, an article explored the…
This Just In: 229 Days
Wanderlust (n): a strong desire to travel. A lot is going on in Florida right now with Hurricane Isaias is off the coast. Our COVID numbers continue to spike, leaving many of us to wonder why schools are opening. The global pandemic’s toll goes far beyond infection rates and body counts. There is a massive mental…
This Just In: Social Authenticity
Did the coronavirus force us into an authentic form of social media? Five years ago, Essena O’Neill, an Australian teenager, earned $2,000 per post on Instagram. More than 600,000 followers looked at O’Neill for advice and inspiration. Then she abruptly quit social media. Deleting over 2,000 pictures, O’Neill said social media was “contrived perfection made to…
This Just In: Support Other Artists
Earlier this summer, a high school senior interviewed me about the pandemic. One of their questions asked if the coronavirus proves governments should fund STEM/scientific research over the arts, particularly in schools. Here’s how I answered: This pandemic is proving the vital need for STEM research and scientific funding. These areas are crucial investments at…