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The Greatest Discovery
Elton John was born in Middlesex, England, on March 5, 1947. My brother, Christofer, was born in Waterloo, Iowa, on November 29, 1968. I was born in Iowa City, Iowa, on September 4, 1971. Some weeks prior to my birth, my very-pregnant mother posed for some photos in a sun-dappled corn field with my father…
Read MorePerson Of The Year
Ed Gorham, Associate Director of Syracuse University’s alumni relations, left me a message last week. “We’re hosting a panel Monday night,” he said. “The subject is the future of television. We’d love for you to participate.” “Bob Costas not available?” I quipped. Never one to pass up an opportunity to a) address an audience or…
Read MoreLucid Dreams
I had a dream last night which I consciously experienced as if watching a television show. That is, I remember thinking, ‘I’m dreaming. I should wake up. But I’ll wait until the dream is over.’ When I woke up, it occured to me that this phenomena could only have occured subsequent to 1934 (later, really,…
Read MoreWith Your Feet In The Air And Your Head On The Ground
All week long after work I’ve been watching Spike Lee’s documentary, “When The Levees Broke.” The film, subtitled, “A Requiem In Four Acts,” is harrowing, heartfelt, and heartbreaking. It’s made for a few sobering ends to a few long days. But man, oh man, does it make ya’ wonder, What the fuck is going on?…
Read MoreCheer
I was ducking into Andy’s Deli on the corner of 80th & Columbus on my way home from a beloved colleagues bon voyage party when I spotted it there, big as a whale. An 18-wheeler loaded twenty deep with Christmas trees was straddling the east side of Columbus behind the Natural History Museum. Where one…
Read MoreCliché
I’m certainly guilty of a few rock cliché. Sometimes intentionally. Luckily, none in the top twenty. Well, one maybe. Yunno those email lists you can’t get off of no matter how many times you unsusbscribe? I’m on a few of ’em. One of ’em is music related. Comes from a guy named Mikel Derby. I…
Read MoreStealing Home
I played third base on the Oak Park T-ball All Star team. The All Star Game was on July 4, 1980, on Ridgeland Commons field, just across the street from OPRF High School. It was the first time I played baseball on a manicured, grass and dirt diamond. I hit the first RBI, a triple…
Read MoreShiver (Or, Rx Volume II)
Some forty-six blocks downtown, my colleagues are toasting another banner year at the MTV Holiday Party. I just washed down a fistfull of pills with my third fruit smoothy of the night. There’s nothing lamer than reading blog posts about illness, and how this hurts and that hurts and so on. And lord knows I’ve…
Read MoreShine (Or, Out Of Your Head Volume CXXII)
Addictive substances cause the synapses of the mesolimbic dopamine system to flood with excessive amounts of dopamine, creating a brief rush of euphoria more commonly called a “high.” Depressants, such as alcohol, increase concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain resulting in slowed brain activity and a drowsy or calm feeling. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) — the…
Read MoreHeavenly Peace
“I fucking hate Christmas.” Yes, I said that. Out loud. To Abbi. Which, understandably, made her pretty sad. It’s not the consumerism, the frenzy, or the faux cheer that gets me. It’s not the endless Zale’s commercials, the window displays, or saccharine greetings and salutations. It’s far more elemental than all of that, more basic,…
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