Image via Wikipedia My children have trigger words. Certain phrases cannot be said in their presence. If these words are uttered within earshot, the response is so immediate and severe that you will wonder if there will ever be another state of mind for them. These are words like “ice …
Image by underwhelmer via Flickr PBS is good for a lot of things. Creating unreal expectations for what the world is like is one of my favorites. From having inquisitive puppet friends to being an incredibly good neighbor, PBS made sure that I never had to make reality my full …
Image by thomas.merton via Flickr Look at me, I’m a train on a track I’m a train, I’m a train, I’m a chucka train, yeah Look at me, got a load on my back I’m a train, I’m a train, I’m a chucka train, yeah Look at me, I’m going …
Image via Wikipedia I loved the smell of show on my pants. The mix of smoke, sweat and other people’s energy. My pants told the tale of a lot of good nights. I had friends that told me to wear the pants the day after the show for good luck, …
Image via Wikipedia I have never been a part of a family big enough to require a reunion. We have had many family gatherings over the years, but never a reunion. Father’s side, mother’s side, and weird couplings around weddings. These are the closest that we have come. This week …
Image by Intersection Consulting via Flickr Until this week I had only ever heard the word Diaspora to describe Jews who are living away from Israel. It had such a specific meaning that I didn’t really think about just how powerful decentralization could be as an idea that can energize …
Image via Wikipedia “Last Night” is the title of one of my favorite songs (by The Strokes) and my favorite movies (A Canadian Indie Film). The former has a driving beat and the latter has an exquisite plot device. Last night is something that just happened, and that I am …
Image by Rennett Stowe via Flickr I traveled with my father when I was young. To Australia, to Japan, to Spain. He went there to talk to people about his passion: electrophysiology (the study of heart rhythms). They asked him to come. Paid for him, even. And he brought me …
Image via Wikipedia For an entire year, I wore only sports jackets and ties to work. No matter how hot and no matter how what day of the week, I wore a self-imposed uniform. Better yet, I had a total of three sports jackets to cycle through. A green checkered …
Image via CrunchBase I am a part of the first generation of file sharers, the first set of adults who felt entitled to free music and software. More than anything else, peer-to-peer networks have shaped the way I think about ownership. When .mp3 files became more numerous than word documents, …