Miscellaneous Category

The days of casual conversations have been traded in for abbreviated text conversations and Snap Chat exchanges. The “Hello, how are you?” has transitioned to “What’s up?”, and “That’s so funny” to “LOL.” Now these changes don’t just apply to everyday conversations, but rather every human interaction we have nowadays – including the sometimes uncomfortable elevator rides. Now there are probably a few things that people should consider when riding in elevators. For instance, don’t ever do anything personal in an elevator because there is always someone watching…always. Just lookRead More

Forward your therapy bills to Milton Bradley… Monopoly Anger Issues/Anxiety/Greed A ruthless quest for money, property, and power, Monopoly has a history of tearing family and friends apart. Irreparable damage has been done to relationships during games of Monopoly. Monopoly is most people’s first introduction to how greed can rot away the good in people. It’s a hard lesson to learn. That, along with the fact there are no get out of jail free cards in life. Speaking of life… LIFE Anger Issues/Fear of Failure/Severe Insecurity Nobody wants to loseRead More

Record 10: Eagle Rock, California, Thursday, July 5th, 2010. Day. The first time I came home, the lights were still on. The living room was desolate and cold, and that’s how I remembered it during the days when my father smoked and told me that sometimes cigarettes aren’t bad for you. “Do you have friends at school?” He’d ask me. I did, and I loved them since we kissed all the time on the monkey bars and on the swings that would break if you swung too high. I stillRead More

I don’t mind being naked.  And I’m a fairly decent dancer.  I’ve graduated from college and now I’m just waiting for the world to realize how great I am!  In the meantime, it seems I am pretty well-equipped for a certain career. The first thing I’ll need to do is expand my stripper heel collection.  Like, I might actually have to buy a pair.  Only I’d like to work in the kind of place that would encourage the Spice Girls style shoe, more of a platform tennis shoe.  I’m wonderingRead More

When you grow up with a father who is an alcoholic, either recovering, recovered, or who currently has a problem, you learn a lot of things. In my case, my parents divorced when I was very young, and so many of these things I did not learn until later. I have always struggled because of this. When your father is an alcoholic, you learn that it’s weird that you come from a broken home. There is a special bond between a father and his daughter, and you learn quickly thatRead More

I’m currently sitting on one of America’s fabulous Amtrak trains. And no, that’s not sarcasm. I think people need to rethink their thoughts on the train. While yes, it may take me an extra hour to get to my destination than if I would have driven, but the leisure time is worth it.   Pros to riding the train: No one rides Amtrak. Therefore, I get an entire row to myself. You can change seats. Smelly person next to you? Move across the car. Screaming child? Move to an entirelyRead More

In my high school, band kids were nerdy. We were great at what we did, winning marching and concert contests every year, but we were nerdy. We stuck in our own little cliques, formed in 5th and 6th grade when we chose our instruments and started out, and still today I feel like I am connected to the people I met through band, at least in some way. I still follow them on facebook, and several of them, my closest friends, I still see and talk to on a regularRead More

It was a dark and stormy night…no wait.  It was a fucking hot night.  Sticky as fuck!  I was 25.  Cool as cool can be, obviously.  I was meeting my hot-ass girlfriend’s parents for the first time.  Yep.  Yep.  How ya doing?  Nice to meet you.  Blah blah.  Yea I like school.  Bullshit bullshit.  Where can I put my stuff? I had been holding a mean pizza slash hot wing shit in since my afternoon Astronomy class.  So there I was, upstairs in an unfamiliar house, trying to figure outRead More

My first and only time as a figure model prompted a disapproving, “You’re better than this,” text from my mother with a warning about ruining my reputation.  But it was much classier than that.  It was life modeling.  I was Rose and they were my Jacks, all 7 of them, drawing me like their French girls.     I dropped my towel on the small stage and it  was like a public humiliation dream come true, except I wasn’t embarrassed.  I only got embarrassed when I thought about what wouldRead More

Record 9: Glendale, California, Friday July 5th, 2013. Day. For weeks Dax had planned his 4th of July celebration. It was to take place in his new home’s back yard, at approximately 2:00 p.m. He was expecting over 20 guests, mainly colleagues from the printing company he had begun working at a month prior, and whom he had gotten to know over beers and marijuana smoke 2 – 3 times a week. He had been accepted by the clique of nerds almost immediately, it seemed. There was no inquisition asRead More

I don’t know what time it is.  I refuse to look because it makes being awake worse. I’m caught in this buzzed state, wanting to be quiet, mind and body, wanting to be accepting and still and lie next to you, strewn diagonal amongst the chaos of covers and unsteadily tucked sheets.  I know it has been hours.  I’m too sensitive of time and my perception of it surreptitiously slips in as I wake before alarms. I’m angry.  I’m angry you revealed moments before sleep that you’re looking for jobsRead More

Hello my name is Shannon. Professionals tell me that I suffer from both generalized anxiety disorder and depression. I used to be pretty pissed off about that, until I realized that, “you have a mental illness” is actually code for, “the universe is turning your life into a comedy.” Here’s what that comedy consists of:   Panic Attacks: I like to think the way I gulp air and struggle to breathe while I’m experiencing a panic attack is somehow cute and endearing. In my mind, I look like I’m practicingRead More

Record 8: North Hollywood, California, Saturday, July 5th, 2014. Day. Hey man, I’m gonna write you this letter real quick because I have to get back to the warehouse in a few minutes because my dad needs help restocking a buncha breakaway glass. We have to be really careful when we put it up, you know, because it breaks easily and I’ve broken so many of the props before and got grounded for it. That was shitty. My dad made me stay in my room too. He only let meRead More

Plays, musicals, orchestras, concerts, dance-performances–we can’t get enough. For the first-time tourist or the returning traveler, New York’s artistic scene is never lacking. From the classic Broadway theater experience, to lesser known immersive experiences, New York will have shows to accommodate any age and any taste.   1. The obvious, number 1 on your list: Watch a Broadway play or musical. Broadway is timeless, and there are always a wide variety of shows to suit any taste. If you’re looking for a comedy, there’s Book of Mormon or Wicked. ForRead More

I’ve been traveling a lot recently. I’ve been visiting friends and going to weddings and generally enjoyed a packed social schedule that has been more hectic than normal. I’m not complaining; it was sweet. The traveling has eaten into my writing schedule though so I’ve been a little M.I.A. here (Sorry Ascher!) Good thing for you though, dear readers, is that traveling stirs the soul and fosters creativity. Some of the great writers in the world found their masterpieces either On the Road (sorry everyone else for that pun) orRead More