A few days ago, I received an e-mail from a student thanking me for a fun and informative Spring semester. Feedback like this is always appreciated, especially after grades have been posted, but this contained an extra bit of encouragement. At the end of the message, the student wrote, “The two most important things I […]
Surely you remember Jack Chick, the comic book guy who took the world by storm in the seventies and eighties? The one who wrote tracts and books about religion, scared the hell out of little kids, and denigrated people from just about every demographic other than his own? I’m not sure what Jack’s demographic would
Going to Hell, One Jack Chick Tract at a Time Read More »
The beginning of July is here, and it’s almost that time again, when Americans from all walks of life celebrate their dominance by making things explode. I know what you’re thinking. That’s every day in the U.S., and you’re right, but this one also involves hot weather, cooked meats, and lots of emergency room visits.
O Say Can You Sing?: Confessions of a Nervous Fourth-Grade School Actor Read More »
I don’t like to brag, but I think I could accurately guess the actual contents of a box based on its feel and weight. All I’d need to do is pick it up and shake it a bit, and then I’d be able to tell you whether it contains a George Foreman grill, bedsheets, stereo
Moving Stuff and Things: Home is Where the Box Is Read More »
Good news, friends and neighbors: Twin Peaks is back on Showtime. For the uninitiated, Twin Peaks is a television series created by filmmaker David Lynch and writer Mark Frost. Set in a sleepy and slightly creepy Washington lumber town, the show centers around the investigation into the murder of Laura Palmer, a homecoming queen with
It Is Happening Again: The Damn Fine Return of Twin Peaks Read More »
Two weeks ago, I started a list of my top ten The Princess Bride novels, books I can always return to, pick up, and read. Each one of these novels changed the way I thought about reading, writing, and the way I saw the world. Here are installments seven through twelve. Straight Man by
Ten of My The Princess Bride Novels: The Twelve Book Edition (Part Two) Read More »