Nov 24, 2021My First Crush Was Egon SpenglerWatching Ghostbusters: Afterlife brought back memories of my first great love — Harold Ramis. It takes a lot for me to go to the movie theater — even outside of a pandemic — but Ghostbusters: Afterlife looked too good to miss. And boy was I right. Not only is the…Ghostbusters3 min read
Nov 17, 2021My Cat Has Visited 30 States and 13 National ParksFolks don’t believe me when I say my cat enjoys traveling, but she does. And boy are we lucky. Recently I posted a family photo of my partner, myself, and my cat at the Grand Canyon on a Facebook travel group. …Cats5 min read
Published in Human Parts·Nov 5, 2021My Family’s History Is a Prop at Cracker BarrelA random photo sent me down a rabbit hole of learning more about my immigrant great-grandfather, his employer Endicott Johnson, and the era of welfare capitalism — I left my hometown in Central New York as soon as I graduated college. Not because I hated the town, nor because I wanted to detach from my community. I adored my childhood as the granddaughter of the Main Street business owner; our staff and customers were family. …Family6 min read
Nov 1, 2021We Dressed as Warren Zevon Songs for HalloweenNobody got our costumes, but that’s ok. We were happy little nerds anyways. In this house, we listen to Warren Zevon — the rock n’ roll prodigy, renowned LA curmudgeon/asshole, and singer that Gen Z doesn’t know enough about to cancel though would cancel if they did. Because of our…Warren Zevon3 min read
Oct 28, 2021You Can Take Your White Claw Hate and Shove ItI love White Claw and here’s why. Recently I attended a small outdoor gathering and brought with me a six-pack of the popular hard seltzer beverage White Claw. As I greeted the host for the first time, she looked down at the cans in my hand and made a face…Drinking5 min read
Oct 27, 2021What Will Happen When All The Holocaust Survivors Are Gone?With antisemitism on the rise, it’s vital that we never forget what happened. (Trigger warning: Every horrible thing you can think of) Imagine watching your beloved dog repeatedly stabbed by a bayonet. Imagine watching your lifelong friends and neighbors throw children into the freezing river. Imagine watching your childhood home…Jewish5 min read
Oct 20, 2021His Name Was TomThough his death was barely noticed, he mattered. And I want you to know about Dr. Thomas Mwanika. During the last six months of my grandmother’s life in our local hospital’s nursing and rehab center, I met a remarkable man — a man with a smile and laugh as warm…Relationships8 min read
Oct 14, 2021Why I Don’t Write About Current Issues or Events AnymoreI used to write about important current issues. Now I don’t and here’s why. I’ve written essays online for 13 years — initially on my blog and then on Medium. When I first began writing online, I wrote about light stuff like movies, music, pop culture, and the life of…Current Events4 min read
Oct 11, 2021A Love Letter to Pittsburgh: One of the Most Underrated Cities in AmericaLow cost of living? Arts & culture? Beautiful scenery? Weird phrases & smoke-filled bars? Streets as narrow as sidewalks? You’ll find it all in Pennsylvania’s Steel City. I’ve lived in several major American cities and regularly travel throughout the country, and I will adamantly tell you that Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is…Pittsburgh9 min read
Published in Human Parts·Sep 30, 2021My Anxiety Disappeared During the PandemicAn exploration in angst while watching music videos from the 80s. — As I write this, I’ve watched nine hours of 80s music videos in the past 24 hours. I stumbled upon this free music channel with a perfectly 80s name — XITE — and have been transfixed ever since. I’ve got to be honest — it came at a great time. …1980 S7 min read