Beautiful Ruins, by Jess Walter

I’m bushed. Today will be a day of heavy eyelids, caffeinated beverages, and standing up on a regular basis to maintain consciousness. And it is so very worth it.   “You should read… Continue reading

Sign language

So I’m riding down the street yesterday, right-hand lane like I’m supposed to, directly over the big puffy-paint bicyclist symbol that tells reminds cars that bicycles have a right to exist in three… Continue reading

The Wizard of Oz and I

“When I was a boy, I knew what I wanted to be.” My assumption was beginning when he filled in the answer. “A cowboy!”

The Wizard of Oz is Italian

The Wizard of Oz doesn’t let you take pictures. Looking around his close-shouldered toyscape of fragile wooden forms and clustered vintage artefacts, that was understandable. Besides, I already had enough photos from outside,… Continue reading

Happy Thanksgiving Mr R!

Happy Thanksgiving Mr R! It was a pleasure to meet you a few months ago, and I dearly hope that your first American Thanksgiving is a happy day, when you can join me,… Continue reading

I thought it was just a photo

I wasn’t expecting a lesson in male privilege. I thought I was just decorating. But one of the candidate photos was from a late night wander through September streets of Venice, complete with… Continue reading

The good thing about terrorism.

Here’s something you already knew: the Dark Ages were F’ing brutal. I’ve been studying those terrible centuries for my job, and they were worse than I realized. Someone doesn’t like you and says… Continue reading

Islam is not the problem

What can one say about what happened in Paris last week? How to adequately address this manifestation of humanity’s darkest potential? I’m not sure how to do it well, but I’ve seen some… Continue reading

Myanmar and America politics, only one we can like

“I think we should talk about politics,” I suggested to the table of tour members, bored senseless with the American conversation of what you do for work. “Oh, but wouldn’t you rather be… Continue reading

A visitor in my land, for a moment

The first announcement was so bland and polite. “The eastbound train on platform two is going out of service. Please do not board this train. It will be departing momentarily.” The crowd of… Continue reading