On Salam Pax, Iraq, Nostalgia and Forgetting

On Salam Pax, Iraq, Nostalgia and Forgetting

Salam Pax in Beirut for the Arab Bloggers Meeting. Six years ago: One day, like in Afghanistan, those journalists will get bored and go write about Syria or Iran; Iraq will be off your media radar. Out of sight, out of mind. Lucky you, you have that option. I have to...
Oso's Guide to 200 Proof Tranquility

Oso's Guide to 200 Proof Tranquility

Today I was in such a zoned out state. Part hangover, part general mental confusion, my brain felt like a semi-permeable gel, only trapping the most arbitrary of observations. I went through all the regular motions: dropping my sister off at school, morning coffee and...
Staccato Signals of Constant Information

Staccato Signals of Constant Information

Just a couple days ago I was having a very bad day in what seems like a year of plenty of bad days. Around two in the afternoon I was full of anger, anxiety, and other adjectives beginning with A. But I still had to go to work. Work doesn’t care about bad days....
Sharks and Grad Students

Sharks and Grad Students

Each of the last three four days I’ve gone out swimming in La Jolla Bay. Usually I just think about how damn cold and out of shape I am, but Dave has a way of putting my mind on sharks. Big sharks. with big teeth. And as soon as we get far enough out where no...