What Now, Bill? This will be the last post I make “about” me. Every author I’ve read seems to leave at least a few clues as to what they’re about in their writing, even if the piece has absolutely nothing to do with them. If one is paying attention, it…
Happy Birthday, America! Eat hot death. Today was the 4th of July, so we’ve been treated to several days of fireworks, set off by the municipality last night and a bunch of individual freedom-loving patriots the rest of the time. I’ve grown to hate the way we celebrate this holiday,…
Cut Out All That Macho S**t and Learn How to Play Guitar I’m learning to play the guitar. After wanting to learn how to play for most of my adult life, I’m finally taking John Mellencamp’s advice and learning how to play. It was about one year ago last week…
Another Song Got Me to Thinking, "Little Lion Man" by Mumford & Sons Weep for yourself, my man,You'll never be what is in your heartWeep little lion man,You're not as brave as you were at the startRate yourself and rake yourself,Take all the courage you have leftWasted on fixing all…
Life as a Proddy This is my 59th year on the planet, which I will recognize officially in July. Growing up in southeastern Michigan, most of my neighborhood was composed of Catholics and Protestants, of which my family belonged to the latter group. All I knew growing up is that…
Never Realized What a Kiss Could Be As I begin to find myself closer these days to the end than to the beginning, I’ve become even more prone to self-reflection than I used to be when I was still young. While it’s been a long and winding road from then…
Old Man no Longer on the Road I turned 58 a few months ago. It doesn’t seem like a significant number, I guess, and it doesn’t really hold any special importance for me, to be completely honest. And yet, at the same time, it really feels as though I have…
The Best Girl My dog died the other day. Riley had been dealing with at least mild levels of pain for a few months,since it was clear to the doctor that she was experiencing soreness and stiffnessin some of her joints, due to arthritis in her back and legs. I…
From “Rags”… It’s really hard to start this essay. Though I knew what I wanted to call it before I began writing it, putting a proper beginning on it has proven to be a bit challenging. This is at least the third attempt to compose something of meaning out of…