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America, and the joy of missing out
This Sunday was something quite special for me: the first time in my adult life that I was completely unaware that the Super Bowl was happening. Social media ruined it for me in the end—but what joy, what bliss to be ignorant of American goings-on for just a heartbeat.
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The religion of getting
When I was 18, I worked as a barista. It wasn’t a bad job. But I will never forget the trainer, I’ll call him Sean, who—in addition to calling me a “PMS-y woman” during training—one day proclaimed, “I have the greatest job in the world.”
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A week in Wales by train
Wales is mostly rural, and best suited for adventurers (of any skill level) who enjoy the outdoors, want to get off the beaten path, and don’t mind a little rain. While it’s great to have a car, it’s also totally possible to get around by train and bus.
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The middle ground
The wise among us would advise that there’s a middle ground and I would listen, nod my head, marvel at their wisdom. Yet I find there are things that cannot be said. Can they be set to one side? Or must they be carried on in silence?
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Diary of a dysgwr
Lifelong learner. A laudable philosophy. Looks nice on your LinkedIn. But in practice? As something more than a slogan? Exhausting. In my 20s, fresh out of school, it felt like an invigorating mantra. A celebratory affirmation of the wonder of the universe. As I approach 40 and find myself nearing the likely halfway point of…
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Mental health, community, and giving a shit
When it comes to mental health, we have lots of misconceptions—and I think one of the biggest is that mental health difficulties are a phenomenon that occurs purely on the individual level, to be cured with the right balance of therapy, medication, and exercise. I know from personal experience that each of these can help…
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Twenty highlights from 2024, in twenty words or less
Taking a look back on some of the highlights from 2024, from my worst habit (go ahead and guess) to the mountaintop moments that have helped me start to believe in myself—at least a little bit.
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Non-binary, but he/him is fine
I spent 30 years looking in the mirror trying to find myself, trying to make sense of myself. Or rather, trying to make sense of how I fit in—perhaps the most terribly cliché of human pursuits—and largely finding that I don’t. (I’m a medievalist for a reason.) Along the way, I played some good roles,…
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We Were Supposed to Be a City on a Hill
In 1630, Puritan lawyer and governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony John Winthrop uttered the words that have come to represent the audacity of America’s founding enterprise: “For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people will be upon us.” Three hundred and fifty years…
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We Started a Patreon
A couple weeks ago, my husband and I were waiting for a bus when we had one of those “What if …?” conversations. The kind that might lead to something wonderful, or perhaps nothing at all. This past year has been one of significant self-discovery for us both. Juan has taken the plunge to begin…