ever seeking a right-fit life
The other day, my partner and I had a phone consult with a relocation expert. It's our goal to go rural and be as self-sufficient as possible. In addition to inquiring about good locations, optimal acreage, water cisterns, and acclimating into a new community, we also asked about children. "Children are an asset," we were... Continue Reading →
I was a shy and bookish child, and I always had a stack of stories and encyclopedias at my disposal. My brother was obsessed with building and designing, so he had Legos, K'NEX, and an architectural drafting table. My sister was a social butterfly, so she was signed up for every extracurricular activity available. One... Continue Reading →
The problem with modern education is that there are few, if any, internal feedback loops. Children read material, complete homework, and take tests; they memorize material, receive grades based on surface understanding, and are then shooed along to the next chapter. Teachers, unfortunately, have their hands tied when it comes to delving in deeper to... Continue Reading →
As an early-twenty-something, I discovered and became obsessed with a blog called The Art of Manliness. Not because I fancied becoming a man, but because the articles taught practical skills like how to open a stuck jar lid, how to firmly say no without coming off like a jerk, and how to read a topographic... Continue Reading →
Over the weekend, I met up with my extended family for the first time since my grandfather's funeral in March. We celebrated several recent birthdays with BBQ and cake, teased my younger cousins for their grey hairs and bald spots, and recited my grandpa's favorite toast. We listened to stories of recent bouts of COVID,... Continue Reading →
In recent years, there has been much talk of privilege. Namely, white privilege. I'm of European descent and my skin tone proclaims that loud and clear. Over the last two years, I've been accosted, unprovoked, by strangers on the street. I've been called mayonnaise monkey, lima bean, and cracka, which are apparently derogatory names for... Continue Reading →
I held my two-month-old niece for the first time yesterday, as her parents sat down for their first meal together sans baby since the birth. I heard a soft cooing as I bounced the ten-pound, chunky-soft human in my arms and walked her around the room to satiate her curious brown eyes. Within her line... Continue Reading →
Hello friends, and welcome to another week of web miscellany! How is the weather where you are? We're hitting record temperatures, so I'm planning to pick up some fresh watermelon from the farmer's market and then stay indoors as much as possible. Check out my favorite articles, videos, and links from around the web this week,... Continue Reading →
In seventh grade algebra, my teacher scrawled a string of numbers across the chalkboard: -10, -9, -8. and up through 8, 9, and 10. Mrs. Ernzen’s task for the day was to teach a room of young teens how to add and subtract negative numbers. She stood in front of the chalkboard and through her... Continue Reading →
existential ergonomics 