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Storytelling in Music: Lyrics that Tell a Tale

This post isn’t going to be a long-winded rant on my favorite artists, bands, and types of music. That would be an unnecessary harangue that is not appropriate at least at this exact moment. This post isn’t even about songs that have cool rhymes or a killer beat. I want to specifically examine songs thatContinue reading “Storytelling in Music: Lyrics that Tell a Tale”

Netflix’s Dark Tourist and the Myth of Ethical Tourism

Oftentimes we are aware of the unethical nature of something… yet to make the conscious choice to pry our eyes away can seem impossible. In fact, that is pretty much the whole premise of David Farrier’s show Dark Tourist. Farrier goes to different countries and regions in the world to explore the concept of darkContinue reading “Netflix’s Dark Tourist and the Myth of Ethical Tourism”

Storytelling, Fred Hampton, and the OG SDS

I just finished reading a fairly long book called The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and the Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther by Jeffrey Haas. I received this book as a present and remembered hearing a good review on how this book illuminates the historical context behind the FBI’s role in theContinue reading “Storytelling, Fred Hampton, and the OG SDS”

The Different Textures Feel Me Grow

About six years ago I started running more seriously. What first started out with slow two-milers evolved into even slower five milers, and then slow 10ks, and then fast 10ks, and then semi-paced half marathons. My love for running doesn’t come from the need to exercise or “stay in shape.” As a college-level basketball player,Continue reading “The Different Textures Feel Me Grow”

Frankenstein’s Creation and My Own Creation of a New Self

Perhaps this title is somewhat misleading. I haven’t created entirely a new self per say. Instead, a self that is new because of its liberation from the bounds and restraints from an older identity and version. When I set out to read Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, my goal was to inform myself of her literaryContinue reading “Frankenstein’s Creation and My Own Creation of a New Self”

Documenting History: We Held a Murderer Accountable, Today.

Today the courts and a judge and a jury and the people who protested and got maced and beaten by the police, today was some sort of validation for that I guess. In no way is this a victory or justice. This is just an ending that won’t cause nightmares and PTSD. It won’t teachContinue reading “Documenting History: We Held a Murderer Accountable, Today.”

This Post Was Going to be Selfish

This post was going to be selfish. I was going to write a long story on how I got accepted to be a part of the Midwestern Marx Youth League of Writers. A story of mine got accepted into my school’s Creative Writing magazine. Next Wednesday, I get my second dose of the Covid vaccine.Continue reading “This Post Was Going to be Selfish”

A Brief Book Review: Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? By Mark Fisher

This book is sort of like the modern-day Communist Manifesto. Short, but every sentence carries a vastness of ideas, constructions, and theories that make your head spin. Much like parts about Capital stuck out to me when reading Marx, there definitely were some points that stuck with me more, although I do confess this bookContinue reading “A Brief Book Review: Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? By Mark Fisher”

Becky Tyler’s Eight Years as the Women’s Basketball Coach at Bryn Mawr College: “There’s Still So Much to be Grateful For”

I knew Bryn Mawr was the place I wanted to be about four months into 2018. Five months prior if you had told me I’d be attending Bryn Mawr College, I would ask you how do you spell that? Where in the world is it even? And it’s a historically women’s college? Bryn Mawr wasContinue reading “Becky Tyler’s Eight Years as the Women’s Basketball Coach at Bryn Mawr College: “There’s Still So Much to be Grateful For””

Map of the Day: Cusco/Cuzco Peru

Today my “Form of the City” class was picking and looking at maps. I picked a map of Cusco that (1572, Braun and Hogenberg, Civitates Orbis Terrarum, map I-58) that seemed relevant to a lot of what I am interested in. I’ve been to Cuzco and was fascinated with the juxtaposition between Incan/Andean architecture and SpanishContinue reading “Map of the Day: Cusco/Cuzco Peru”