Novel looks at the Rust Belt, composed by an American doctor
Get my free weekly newsletter, The Friday Mix
Latest Articles
Why Lebron James Chose Syracuse
Lebron James, by text, is a very candid man. The following thread has been abridged for the sake of brevity.*
What Parenting Taught Me About the Rust Belt
I’m no parenting guru. In fact, about a decade from now, I’ll find out how I f****d it up royally.
I Hate You IKEA—but Thank You
Nostalgia, they say, comes with rose-colored glasses. But in the case of IKEA, it can also come with nausea—and not
How The Odyssey Saved Rochester, NY
You know The Odyssey—that Christopher Nolan film with Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway. And you know Rochester, NY—that rusty town
Why Spain Is Actually Playing Italy
Don’t fall for the hype about Spain playing Argentina. (Or, if you’re reading this after July 19, 2026, I hope
Confessions of a Rust Belt Addict
The Rust Belt addict, mercifully, is not always found with a needle in his arm. The addicted, I’ve learned, get
How Being a Writer Ruined the World Cup
Being a writer, as you must know by now, is a dream. By that, I mean it’s a nightmare, something
Thank You, European, for Being So Damn Smart
Dear European, I know you’re smarter than me. How do I know? Because you tell me. Anyway, I’ve come across
These World Cup Population Numbers Will Blow Your Mind
World Cup population numbers are for the worldly—and the weirdly obsessive. Without formally committing to either category, I’ve created this
I’m Officially an Idiot
On June 26, 2026, it became official—I’m an idiot. I’d like to thank my fellow human beings—without you, I would
The 10 Best Southern Rock Songs
Southern rock saved the South. No, not in that way. Saved from haters—like me. But let’s be fair. It has
10 “Healthy” Coping Mechanisms
Navigating modern society ain’t for the faint of heart. Yes, you probably have food, shelter, and all that stuff. But
What Are the Northern Lights? (Plus 2 Bonus Songs)
On May 10, 2024, at a latitude of only 43° 5′ 23″ N, while hanging out in my backyard, I
I Just Wrote a Bro-Country Song!
Bro-country. It’s that style of country pop sung by dudes (bros), usually about women, beer, pickup trucks, guns, blue jeans,
The Truth About Nashville
This isn’t some sort of cold hard truth. It’s just the boring truth. Nashville, aka Music City, wouldn’t be a
10 LinkedIn Posts That Cut the Bullsh*t
LinkedIn is that social networking site where we pretend we’re really important. But what if we decided to just tell
How I Survived My Daughter’s Dance Competition
Being a dad at a youth dance competition can be a little…well, you decide. April 25, 2024 (The day
10 English Words You Didn’t Know
By you, I’m actually referring to me. Now you might be thinking, this guy thinks he’s a writer and doesn’t
Anything Taylor Swift Can Do, I Can Do Better
On April 19, 2024, Taylor Swift released her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department. In the words of Ann
How I Won My First UFC “Fight”
UFC. That’s Ultimate Fighting Championship, as in the Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts outfit where crazy people beat the sh*t