This Queer Life
-
Like everyone, I’ve pondered what’s to be done with my remains upon expiring. It’s unfortunate that mummification fell out of fashion. Initially I planned to donate my body to science. They use human remains for many things, some as organic crash-test dummies. I learned that from Mary Roach’s book Stiff. My following choice was to… Read more
-
“Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world.” – John Steinbeck Long before our current era, I lived in a post-truth household. An alternate reality. A couple adopts a certain breed of dog one of them nagged the other for, & that dog adores the one who was reluctant.… Read more
-
[I was trying to make this the German equivalent of ‘My Struggle with Plants,’ but ‘Mein Kämpfen mit Pflanzen’ is the closest I could get & it’s still grammatically incorrect. Sigh.] When I applied for financial aid to go to community college, I qualified for a work study job to supplement my grant monies. I… Read more
-
In my defense, the most colorful street celebration in a U.S. city sounded like a cultural thing I might enjoy. Not least because I’ve always had my odd form of dress-up; I could hide in plain sight amongst the revelers. Celebrations traditionally include lots of people. Willingly surrounding myself with lots of people was going… Read more
-
A Penny Dreadful One year, as a birthday or Xmas gift, I received a small popcorn machine. I was around 8. It was just like a mini movie theater version, fronted with clear plastic doors, a hinged popper & lid, a compartment to dump the popped corn below, a scoop & about 200 tiny red… Read more
-
It was a gradual process getting accustomed to the farmyard sounds here. The chickens’ favorite hang-out, in the huge rhododendron just outside a bathroom of the house, was filled one morning with their preening & clucks. Availing myself of the facilities, I heard sudden loud cackling. It’s disconcerting to have a laugh track accompany one… Read more
-
A Tale of the West Ever have a neighbor you don’t get along with? In this one place, I was surrounded on all sides. A couple of them detested me from the get-go. The few who took to me, the feeling wasn’t mutual. Perhaps the whole street was thus. I don’t know, since the ones… Read more
-
It’s been suggested by some biographers that various creative types are a superstitious lot. I take issue with that claim. Anyone who knows what it’s like to use the wrong tool for the job will understand. Here I sit writing with a (gasp!) ballpoint pen. I’m forced to do so because my real pen is… Read more
-
It started like any brilliant idea starts– with a pile of sticks. & no, I’m not talking about burning someone at the stake. Although, in a way, the holiday is kinda foreshadowed by ritual sacrifice, a quasi-sin eater situation. Otherwise the birth of some random carpenter-turned-preacherman wouldn’t have been a cause for remembrance, let alone… Read more
-
First time living solo I was 21. This was also my first experience with that strange breed known as landlords. I find a common thread is woven through the tapestry of individuals owning rental properties. It’s the sallow color of ‘get away with what you can,’ as opposed to the deep, solid hue of ‘fix… Read more
Huh? 