1991 was an important turning point for me because that was the first year I ever voluntarily watched the World Series. I recall, some weeks earlier, I jokingly asked someone at school how far behind the Braves were that season, only to learn that the team was number one and heavily favored for post-season play. … Continue reading Changes
Category: Essays
Real Bible Studies: Matthew, Baptism and Temptation
After the drama of Yeshua’s birth and his family’s escape to Egypt, Matthew skips ahead to the baptism by John, when Yeshua was an adult. Here, we get another prophecy, foretelling John’s ministry. For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Matthew, Baptism and Temptation
Over Thinking
14 November 2019: Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta, Georgia. One of my biggest stumbling blocks in writing is believing a story needs to be more complicated than it does. This almost always relates to the backstory of the characters. I usually know quite a bit about events in the characters’ histories and often feel I need … Continue reading Over Thinking
Talking to Myself
I talk to myself. I always have. Sometimes, I hold extensive conversations with myself. Frequently, I’ll rehearse things I plan to say when I arrive at a location where I’ll be expected to speak; sometimes I repeat things I wish I had said when I misspoke at any point in my life. If I followed … Continue reading Talking to Myself
Real Bible Studies: Matthew, Part 1
The Infancy Narrative Though scholars largely agree that the first written Gospel was Mark, the Christian New Testament starts with Matthew. This is most likely due to Matthew’s inclusion of an infancy narrative and a genealogy. Otherwise, Matthew’s Gospel starts with Jesus beginning his ministry as an adult just as Mark’s does. This leaves a … Continue reading Real Bible Studies: Matthew, Part 1
Fifty-eight
Circa 1971: Third-grade photo; around age eight. The tie deflects attention from the bad haircut. One more ride around the sun and I bid farewell to my fifty-eighth year. Despite all the turmoil of these past twelve months, last year wasn’t all that bad for me. At least, I was employed for most of it. … Continue reading Fifty-eight
Sculpting
Often, my writing style is jumbled at best. When the words start to flow, it’s all I can do to keep up and get ideas down in a coherent form. Aspects of stories come to me at all times, especially when I’m out walking and I’ve taken to using the voice recorder on my phone … Continue reading Sculpting
Author’s Intent
Some may wonder why it’s okay for Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, and other Founding Fathers to be portrayed by minority actors in Hamilton, and not for Martin Luther King to be portrayed by a White actor in an adaptation of Katori Hall's play The Mountaintop. This was the case in a production at Kent State … Continue reading Author’s Intent
Bullies
5 March 2016: Suwanee, Georgia. When I was a child, bullying wasn’t just commonplace, it was actually encouraged. I knew quite a few adults who viewed bullying and corporal punishment as reliable motivational strategies. Some even had fond memories of being bullied and beaten as kids. I recall once, in elementary school, right in front … Continue reading Bullies
Review Reconstruction & Words
A request for reviews for Atlanta Stories: Reconstruction and Words Words Words. A number of copies of Atlanta Stories: Reconstruction and Words Words Words were sold during 2020. If you purchased one, or otherwise acquired a review copy, please consider submitting a review to Amazon and/or Goodreads or other review sites. Reviews help to get … Continue reading Review Reconstruction & Words