While taking the trash out last week, I found myself staring at the not-quite-full-anymore moon and wishing I was doing something more productive than spring cleaning. “If only I had the energy of a full moon, I could do something important, something creative, something different.” Of course, the moon has nothing to do with the [...]
#Life
a story worth telling is a life worth living
Author Archives: JPS
The worst kinds of pranks
I have never been very good at April Fools’ day. The problem with having one day designated for pranks is that we’re all paranoid in expectation of them and when they do happen, they don’t always have the desired effect. Physical pranks especially seem to fall flat. Fake stories can be done very well, but [...]
I can’t sleep before an early flight
The airplane safety lecture drones through the warming engines at the gate. Flight attendants look as tired as I wish I felt while they demonstrate proper seat buckling and flotation device finding techniques, the latter of which will serve us well flying over Alabama, Tennessee, and Illinois. I wonder how many of these people will [...]
The stories I tell to strangers
As I set out to romp the streets of Gainesville on St. Patrick’s Day, I replaced my usual red pen with a black sharpie. The idea was to put one ring around my arm for every green beer I drank. I stole the idea from my friend Campbell, who used a similar method to keep [...]
Re-manifesto
The start of #Life was a strange time for us. We were all finishing college and most of us were unemployed or going into temporary employment arrangements. We were scared, confused, and broke. And we started a blog. Our lives have changed since then. Jobs dominate the time that doubt once reigned. Sleep patterns have [...]
“To do my duty”
As I walked out of the grocery store, I was approached by a young man in a Boy Scout Uniform. He had a Tenderfoot rank patch and was probably in his first year of scouting. “Would you be interested in supporting the Boy Scouts?” he asked. I said I would and let him make his [...]
I went to the woods for my sanity, but I came back for the air conditioning
Two weeks ago, I tried to go camping. I’ve been having an itch for the outdoors lately. I’m used to summer being an awesome time to get outside and get on the water — but it’s not so easy in Florida. It’s too damn hot in the summer to do anything in the direct sunlight [...]
LINK: Uttered prayers for our uniformed youth
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/us/sept-11-reckoning/troops.html These are a few stories of soldiers and sailors who have served since 9/11. The stories are honest and touching, and they highlight people who have contributed more than their fair share. Ryan talked about how news organizations are treating this anniversary, and I’ve been living through those complex decisions. I work for The [...]
The only thing I regret is the french fries
Last evening was a night on the town. Nine of us went out for dinner and drinks and adventuring about the city into the morning hours, when the final four of us called it quits after eating at Steak ‘n’ Shake. It was a normal night. We had dinner at a place downtown, then moved [...]
LINK: One of the craziest stories I’ve ever heard
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/323/the-super This week, while listening to the podcast of This American Life, I was amazed at the tale I heard. It’s a replay of a show from 2007, and it’s all about building superintendents. The whole episode is very good, but Act 1 in particular is captivating and thrilling. That section comes in at 21 [...]