Published inHuman Parts·Jan 4, 2022Member-onlyThe Wreck That Saved My LifeOn accidents, adolescence, and the art of self-discovery — In the startling, disembodied moments after impact I remember thinking, well, that wasn’t so bad. The next thing I remember was hitting the pavement. As I would woozily realize while people began appearing over me, asking one another whether I was okay, my body had been thrown into the air…Writing19 min readWriting19 min read
Published in(parenthetical note)·May 6, 2021Member-onlyFlowerA short story — I am killing everyone I see, but they keep coming. I crouch behind a burning barrel in the street to avoid the line of fire and I roll out during their reload and keep shooting. I advance a few yards and I crouch behind another barrel. I reload. I was…Videogames6 min readVideogames6 min read
Published inAn Injustice!·Aug 4, 2020Member-onlyHow To Hurt The Trump Campaign Every DayTired of doom-scrolling? Let me introduce you to hate clicking. — Everything is terrible. And much of it can be directly tied back to Trump. Though he didn’t devise environmental degradation, create COVID-19, or invent racism, he has inarguably advanced all these disasters, and as you read the endless bits of bad news on your social feeds, it’s hard not to…Politics4 min readPolitics4 min read
Published inForge·Jun 29, 2020Member-only3 Ways White People Can Start Learning to FollowAn assertive White person’s guide to supporting, not leading — No matter what our political beliefs or income levels are, White people share the experience of being centered in American life. When we do protest, it’s often to protect systems that keep us there, whether we’re protesting anti-discrimination laws to correct unfair hiring practices or measures meant to protect public…Race4 min readRace4 min read
Published inForge·Jun 1, 2020Member-onlyNothing Takes Less Than an HourOn assessing the value of time in the era of multitasking — If you’re one of the thousands of newly remote workers out there, you’re probably managing your own schedule in a way you never have before. As someone who’s worked from home for a long time, I’ve learned a strange, basic truth that I believe can help you: Nothing takes less…Productivity4 min readProductivity4 min read
Published inHuman Parts·Apr 17, 2020Member-onlyWhat Your Anger Is Trying to Tell YouThere’s a thin line between rage and fear — especially in times of uncertainty — Everyone has their own way of loading the dishwasher. Some delicately arrange; others cram. Some lay large utensils perpendicular to the tray; others go parallel. Regardless, we can all agree that this is just not a big deal. So earlier this week, when I reached over my wife’s shoulder and…Relationships10 min readRelationships10 min read
Published inHuman Parts·Sep 9, 2019Member-onlyThe Audacity of HopelessnessJonathan Franzen and the fraught politics of resignation — “When the world is running down, You make the best of what’s still around.” — The Police We live in interesting times. That’s not proverbial. Climate change, far right extremism, neighboring countries on the verge of nuclear confrontation. For the collector of causes, there’s an embarrassment of riches, local and…Climate Change6 min readClimate Change6 min read
Published inHuman Parts·Aug 18, 2019Member-onlyI, Racist: Confessions of a White LiberalBefore white liberals can truly join the fight against racial discrimination, we have to take a hard look in the mirror — Just say it out loud, just to see how it feels. — Kanye West The first time I met a black person was in 1983. I was in third grade. I was raised in mid-coast Maine on an ersatz hippie commune that had, by that point, largely fizzled. Instead it…Racism18 min readRacism18 min read
