The Border of Grief

Autumn is the cusp of darknesswhen the days grow shorterand the trees begin letting go. But it isn’t winter yet. Perhaps grief is like that. I have lost so many.Some far too young.Some who should still besending ridiculous emails,making me laugh,walking through the worldas if they had all […]

In Defense of Laughter

I love to laugh. I laugh every day. Sometimes because something is genuinely funny. Sometimes because life is absurd. Sometimes because the alternative is crying, and frankly, I already have enough hobbies. I joke. I find the ridiculous in the ordinary. I look for the silver lining even […]

Take the Cars Out of the Streets

What’s one thing that would instantly improve your city? I have a modest proposal for improving New York City. Flying cars. Hear me out. The problem with New York isn’t really transportation. It’s that we have all agreed to cram cars, buses, bicycles, scooters, pedestrians, delivery trucks, double-parked […]

In Defense of Tuesday

What exactly is Tuesday? Monday has an identity. Monday is the beginning. The alarm clock. The coffee. The collective sigh of here we go again. Wednesday is Hump Day. It has branding. Thursday is Friday Eve, which is apparently close enough to the weekend to celebrate. Friday? Friday […]

In Defense of Villains

Have you ever liked a villain more than the hero? Who and why? I have a confession. I often like the villains more than the heroes. Not all villains. Some are just terrible people with excellent lighting. The truly sadistic, one-dimensional villains who enjoy torturing puppies and explaining […]

The Sunday Situation

I have mixed feelings about Sundays. Sunday is supposed to be the day of rest. A peaceful little oasis between Saturday and Monday. Brunch. Coffee. Maybe a leisurely walk. Perhaps a bath. No urgency. And yet Sunday has somehow developed a sinister undercurrent. There is Sunday morning, when […]

What Have the Aliens Been Building?

You can learn a lot about humanity by listening to the conversations happening at a bar. For example, recently I found myself discussing whether aliens built the pyramids. Not whether aliens exist. No, apparently we had advanced beyond that. We were already assigning them construction contracts. And honestly, […]

Maybe the Horse Had a Point

There’s an old Chinese folktale about a man whose horse runs away. His neighbors come over to commiserate. Terrible luck. The man says, essentially, “Maybe.” Then the horse comes back with several wild horses. Amazing luck! The man says, “Maybe.” Then his son tries to ride one of […]

Scooby, Where Are You?

Who is your favorite cartoon character? I have often alluded to my love of Scooby-Doo. Let me be clear. Scooby-Doo was not merely my favorite cartoon as a kid. It became part of my vernacular. The Mystery Machine. The gang. The ridiculous disguises. The haunted mansions. The inevitable […]

Where Is Teleportation?

What’s the longest trip you’ve ever taken? I love to travel. Really, really love to travel. But here’s the thing. I don’t necessarily love the traveling part. Most of my trips are nine days or less because of work commitments.  Lately, they’ve become five days or so. They […]