Mellow My Mind Or, A Lesson in Life Imitating Art (Revisited)
Sean MurphyCheck this out. i. Baby mellow my mind, Make me feel like a Schoolboy on good time… Summer 1989: I was that guy. Like many other lost causes, I decided…
On Losing Faith and Finding Myself Instead
AUGUST 30, 2002. I was in a church for the first time in forever. The church where I received the Sacrament of Confirmation. The church where my parents celebrated their…
Oliver Sacks, RIP
I am deeply saddened to see this American treasure pass, but also profoundly inspired by his example. It's easy to derive joy from good fortune and find meaning in fortunate…
The Once and Future King: ‘SMiLE’ and Brian Wilson’s Very American Dream
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Icarus soars too close to the sun. Othello, vulnerable and halfway crazy, mistakenly trusts the evil Iago. The product of a celebrated…
God Is Dead (Again): Remembering Stevie Ray Vaughan
Twenty-five years ago today. First day of classes, junior year. Standing in the bathroom with too much shaving cream and not enough whiskers, getting geared up for another semester of…
Sanctuary
I visited my mother’s grave the first several years for the same reason I used to attend church: it was expected, it was meant to make me feel better, it…
Art and Life (Three Years Later)
(2003) Every so often I can’t help hoping that there will be a knock on my door and when I open it, who is there but my sexy soul mate,…
For My Mother on Her Birthday
I’m scared, I said. “It’s okay,” she said. “You know I’ll never leave you, right? I would never leave this place without you.” How many times did she tell me…
The Story of Self-Publishing (Part Two): Follow the Money
Earlier this year, NPR featured a podcast roundtable wherein four authors tackled the question: Is Amazon The Reader’s Friend? Generally speaking, the debate has been framed in terms of how Amazon…
The Story of Self-Publishing (Part One): Past is Prologue
In my role as an industry analyst for the tech industry I’ve followed the developments of our shifting cultural landscape with keen professional as well as personal interest. In particular,…