The New Three “R”s: Reading, ‘Riting and Reloading?

I just gotta say… the idea that having certain teachers, like myself, armed with guns in order to protect schools from mass shootings is a particularly unsettling one. Oh, I totally get how it could sound sensible and even cost efficient. Why hire guards when our teachers can just pull double-duty for perhaps a small … Read moreThe New Three “R”s: Reading, ‘Riting and Reloading?

Jackie: The Movie Review

As the lights went down in the theater before the beginning of Jackie, I suddenly realized that my only impressions of Jackie Kennedy came from still pictures and muted newsreel footage which left me with no idea what her voice actually sounded like. Then, once Natalie Portman started speaking as the titular character, it was so strange and off-putting that … Read moreJackie: The Movie Review

A Fan of La La Land

To start off, I must admit this holiday season has reignited my love affair with the movies. Over the past ten days, I’ve seen Rogue One, Fences, Dr. Strange, and La La Land.  Of all of these, the latter is certainly the one that will stay with me the longest. Not that the others were bombs, far … Read moreA Fan of La La Land

7 Thoughts Too Big to Tweet and Too Small to Blog 3.2

This is another in a series of ideas I’ve had that would take too long to explain in a tweet but aren’t long enough to merit the full-out blog treatment. 1) My family has been instructed that at the moment of my demise, they are to immediately dress my body up in a complete Superman … Read more7 Thoughts Too Big to Tweet and Too Small to Blog 3.2

Jogging My Memory

So there I was… running through the pitch-black woods with an unknown assailant hot on my heels. Defenseless, I was ready to depend upon the kindness of strangers to come to my assistance. I only had one final fateful decision to make: what exactly was I going to scream? It all started out as my normal … Read moreJogging My Memory

We are The Walking Dead

So there I was in the crowded food court of my local mall when I noticed something strange. I couldn’t hear anyone talking. I glanced quickly left and right to see if there was some sort of hostage situation taking place. Everything appeared normal except the only sounds I could make out were people’s shoes … Read moreWe are The Walking Dead

The Revenant – A Film Review

As a young man growing up in Northern Michigan, I once had the misfortune of crashing through some thin ice on a canal that ran through my hometown (ironically, I was trying to warn my younger brother away from a place I thought had thinner ice). I sank down to my armpits into arctic water, … Read moreThe Revenant – A Film Review

Concussion – A Film Review

This film left me in a pretty serious quandary: to wit, will I still watch my MSU Spartans play Alabama in their college football playoff game after Will Smith explained to me the dire consequences of participation in that sport? Based on the true story of Dr. Bennet Omalu, a former pathologist for Allegheny County, … Read moreConcussion – A Film Review

Daddy’s Home – Film Review

First and foremost, let me get this off my chest. I hate Will Ferrell. With the exception of the first Anchorman, where he benefited mightily from a great ensemble cast, I’ve never found him to be even accidentally funny. His lazy attitude towards comedy, his complete lack of timing, and his unshakable belief that a … Read moreDaddy’s Home – Film Review