Published in Morning Musings Magazine·May 24Member-onlyCultivating JoyThe world can be and is, in many ways, a sucky place. Social media, the news, and our heads can exacerbate negativity. I don’t care what anyone says: the negative sells more than sex. Don’t get me wrong — we need to be aware of the sours and the sweets…Mental Health3 min read
Published in Fuck Niches·May 20Member-onlyI Wrote Two Manuscripts.In college I wrote two manuscripts. Writing them took four years, gallons of coffee, and persistence, but I completed them after graduation. One was a collection of essays, the other a coming-of-age story. I decided to put my best fiction forward and shop the novel. Keep in mind, I was…Life Lessons3 min read
Published in Writers’ Blokke·May 19Member-onlyWhen Affirmation becomes asking for Permission.We all want at least a little affirmation. That pat on the back after a hard day’s work, the thunder of applause for a great performance, to see our math test we studied for day and night presented on the fridge with a beautiful B-plus (math is hard). However, like…Mental Health3 min read
Published in Fuck Niches·Apr 8Member-onlyHow about you don’t give your Opinion?Opinions are like buffets: there’s something for everyone. At weddings, I follow the servers with their trays of lollipop lamb chops and knock over a cousin or two to reach the meatballs. And yes, I know you know that I would barter sexual favors for the last of the bacon-wrapped…Opinion3 min read
Published in Prism & Pen·Apr 7Member-onlyYou (Queer People) Are Not Going to Hell!Homophobes have no say in the conversation. — I just want to tell you something you need to hear: you are NOT going to Hell. This is not an opinion; this is an objective fact. Regardless of what religion and feckless news has to say. You know that feeling when you’re glued to the screen, watching, scrolling, swiping…LGBTQ3 min read
Published in Fuck Niches·Mar 13Member-onlyPretentious is Not a Valid CriticismTwitter is a creature of habit. Someone will say something superficial, obnoxious, a little of column A, a little of column B, then wash it down with some Dr. Double Down. People put a fortune’s worth of their two cents into a tweet, ready to cash in on the replies…Essay5 min read
Published in Prism & Pen·Mar 12Member-onlyYes, I’m a Bi Writer! Yes, You Need to Know!Here’s why — The 2022 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards were a nice diversion during a tumultuous time. What I like most about this award show in is that it’s more about the art, and the middlemen are cut out of the sandwich. …Essay4 min read
Published in Fuck Niches·Jan 24Member-onlyWhat a Cockroach Taught me about Writing“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.” It’s important to note that in Franz Kafka’s lead in his arguably best-known work, The Metamorphosis, Gregor is never referred to as a cockroach, only associated with one. Like dunking…Nonfiction4 min read
Published in Prism & Pen·Jan 23Member-onlyThank You for Being a Friend to LGBTQ People, Betty White!Betty White was a good person. She cared about people and animals . . . I think she cared about animals more, but who can blame her? They shoot straight and don’t tolerate bullshit, much like herself. Betty was the First Lady of television, a trailblazer who was ahead of…Television3 min read
Published in Fuck Niches·Jan 22Member-onlyHelp, I’m an Internalized Prude!There is nothing wrong with sex scenes. Is less more? True. Sometimes too many penises spoil the . . . I’ll let you choose your own adventure on that one. In America, we are very weird about sex, thanks to that first layer of Puritan pudding. Then came the cookie-cutter…Writing4 min read