Category: Life

Steve Lovelace Ropes Course 1

Fear of Heights on a Ropes Course

Recently, my work had a “Staff Appreciation Day” with team-building exercises. Our entire staff went to a place that specializes in corporate team-building events. We started the morning off with some simple ice breakers,...

Print Shop Coca-Cola Halftone 1

Drafting Class and Print Shop

Sometimes you look back on your childhood and realize how much you were shaped by a certain experience. Something long forgotten memory comes to the forefront of your mind. An experience that seemed relatively...

Paul Rand IBM Spelling Bee 1

The ABCs of Spelling Bees

I’ve always been good at spelling. I usually got all A’s in elementary school. But my orthographic skills never really translated over to spelling bees. Despite my nerdiness, I never really excelled at these...

Interrobang Equation 2

Finding Meaning in a Secular World

Is it possible to find meaning in life when you don’t believe in God? Many people believe they were put on this earth for a purpose, whether that’s being a parent, worker, athlete, artist,...

Tyranny of the Should Ingsoc Logo 3

The Tyranny of the Should

I started seeing a therapist for depression recently. (I’m loath to admit such a thing publicly, but I think it’s important that we tackle the stigma against mental illness.) Last week, I mentioned that...

JB Bridge Poster 2

The Odd History of the JB Bridge

Every month or two, I have a dream about the JB Bridge. I’m not sure what it is about this bridge that’s stuck with me over the years. In many ways, the Jefferson Barracks...

Scarface Artificial Sweeteners 2

Diet Soda and Artificial Sweeteners

Confession time: as a little kid (maybe six or seven), I would steal packets of Equal from the kitchen and eat the aspartame inside. My mom would find the remains under the couch cushions....

Bayeux Tapestry Dinner 4

Meeting Friends through Meetup

Somehow, in the six years I’ve been doing this blog, I neglected to write about a topic that’s near and dear to my heart: Meetup.com. I’ve met almost all of my friends through the...

Questionable Camping Sign 1

Growing Up with the Cub Scouts

There wasn’t a whole lot to do in Dupo, Illinois back in the late 1980s / early 1990s. Thankfully, I got involved in Cub Scouts. Most of the boys in my core group of...

Fast Food Pyramid 2

Why Is Losing Weight So Hard?

Losing weight is a humbling experience. On the surface, it seems easy. Eat less calories. Eat better calories. Repeat. And yet, I still find myself eating crap, and too much of it. I still...