We now return to

A photo of a child's handwriting on a printed form. The printed form says "One academic subject area that I need some help with is ___ because ___." The first blank is filled in with "writing." The second blank is filled in with "I don't have arms that can keep writing for a long time."
High levels of self-awareness re: fine motor endurance.

It’s the day after Labor Day, when kid cameos are on everyone’s Instagram feed. Because I fundamentally believe the human condition is that of a word-soaked meat sponge plus incidentals, I’ll share my son’s homework assignment instead. I cannot get over this kid.

The first day of school was soaked with rain, but three kids came home from new schools happy, and two were even on time. It even feels like fall, a little; I assume it’ll be 97 tomorrow.

This wouldn’t be a proper commonplace book if I didn’t mention that I’ve spent much of the last 48 hours mourning the death of Dan Osherson, my Ph.D. advisor. Through a series of weird coincidences, his obituary will be written by a college friend of mine; so I have the chance and the obligation to come up with some words for her to quote. I think I’ve got a few I’m not ashamed of, but it would be mean to scoop a friend. I’ll link the final product when it’s available.

Every so often, an old-fashioned feels like the drink for the hour. Biden’s election was one time. This one’s for Dan.


If you’re enjoying my writing, you can get some of my short fiction on your e-reader for the low, low cost of $0. Remembered Air is a collection of six poems and short stories not available anywhere else. Download it here.

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