Thoughts at 10:30PM

Well what happens when I drink black tea at 7:00PM is that I have difficulty sleeping. More than that, I've been having trouble falling asleep recently because I keep going over everything I didn't do but wish I had during the day. Like for instance, Breonna Taylor's murderers are still at large. Only one of …

Missive from the Gem State: Part 2

I don't know if you've ever experienced the opposite of writer's block. Which is that time when there's too much to write about and you just don't know where to start. But it's always good to start and let the organization follow. Here is a list of the things I am currently thinking about as …

Missive from the Gem State: Part 1

Hello Dear Readers, It has been a while hasn’t it? To summarize: Scout and I left Oakland and have now settled our collective gams in Moscow, Idaho where I intend to live and study for the next three years. Don’t know exactly what Scout will be doing, but my intuition tells me napping will be …

Shelter in Place: Day 75

Hello Everyone, It's my last day in Oakland. I don't think I can accurately express how much I love this city. These past few days in particular have reminded me of that. It is a complicated place but at its heart is this life-affirming love. That's why I'm nearly 100% certain that whoever shot Patrick …

Shelter in Place: Day 74

Hello Everyone, It is my second-to-last day in Oakland. Last night there was a protest in downtown Oakland. I did not attend, and I'm honestly not sure what exactly happened. Or more accurately I think everything happened. My guess based on various accounts is that - as seen in Minneapolis and other cities - there …

Shelter in Place: Day 73

Dear Friends and Family, Today I have a specific goal for myself: to be specific in naming racism both outside and within me. This was inspired in part by a conversation with my older sister and in part by a friend's comment on the statement my alma mater Carleton College issued in response to George …

Shelter in Place: Day 72

Hello Dear Readers, Three days remaining until I leave Oakland. I really can't express enough how much living here has changed me or how honored I have been to be some infinitesimal part of the ecosystem. The past few days have been difficult. The past few weeks have been difficult. The past few months have …

Shelter in Place: Day 71

Hello Everyone, Today I am writing to ask for your help. I have continued to think about the recent murder of George Floyd as well as the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. In particular I have been thinking about ways to hold myself accountable to sustained action. I have a tendency to become …

Shelter in Place: Day 70

Hello Everyone, Yesterday evening in Minneapolis, a black man named George Floyd was murdered by the police. A white police officer knelt on Floyd's neck until Floyd fell unconscious. Floyd died in the hospital. Protesters in Minneapolis today are being maced. I am angry. Black people are already dying at a disproportionate rate due to …

Shelter in Place: Day 69

Hello All, Less than a week now until I leave Oakland. Today was a scorcher as they say. I went on an early morning walk with a writing friend (distanced, of course) and even then the sun was beating down. It felt good to see Oakland again. Most of my time here I spent walking …