I’m working through my global books project and realizing that this could turn into a lifetime of work! For the island nation of Cyprus, I read The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak. Cyprus is an island nation located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Like many nations in that part of the world, it… [Read More]
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Recapping Velvet: Season 1, Episode 11, “The Remains of the Shipwreck”
Warning: there are many, many spoilers about the Spanish drama Velvet ahead. Fashion Point: Understanding the muse. Spanish Language Tip: I was listening for the Y pronounciation. We open on Cristina and Alberto in bed at Marquez Manor. Cristina is a little freaked; it’s 7:00 am, and her father will be pissed. Naturally, this very same… [Read More]
Please, Give Me a Medal
I almost told someone that they looked tired, then I remembered how hurt someone looked the last time I made that comment, 20 years ago at least, and so I asked them how they were doing instead. The person in line behind me at the grocery store had only three items, so I let them… [Read More]
Bolivia: A Young Man’s Guide to Late Capitalism
I first learned about Bolivia in second grade. One of the priests at my parish had served as a Maryknoll missionary in Bolivia, and he visited our classroom to tell us about it. Bolivia had two capitals, La Paz and Sucre, and the women wore bowler hats. To second graders, these were things that made… [Read More]
My New Substack: The Whatever Years
My new venture, The Whatever Years, is a newsletter for life on the bleeding edge of Generation X. It will cover money, work, caregiving, and live in general. I’d love it if you’d sign up! The first 500 subscriptions are free. After that, I will charge for a full subscription so that I can expand… [Read More]
