Writer specializing in mental health, humor, songs, poems, history, and anthropology.
The Strokes - Reptilia
One awesome, hand picked song from the world of rock and metal, showcased every week.
We also do the occasional article now as well dont-ch-ya-know!
The Strokes are certainly a product of a certain era, one of the leading bastions of the early aughts indie/garage rock/whatever-you-want-to-call-it revival, and they’re one of the few bands to have, deservedly, made it through to the other side, alongside the likes of The Hives, The White Stripes, and others. They’re a five piece, featuring Juli...
The Stunning Success of the Newark Community Street Team
I spoke with Aqeela Sherrills about his work with the Newark Community Street Team and explored some of the incredible success they've had increasing public safety, reducing crime, and more.
Don’t Call the Police
Michael Hovde
As institutional trust in police forces around the country continues to erode, many people are faced with the difficult decision of what to do in the event of an emergency. Who do you call, if not 911? A majority of Americans say they don’t trust law enforcement, but who are we to rely on to protect our communities, help those in crisis, and to provide aid in emergencies?
Mallory Sepler-King wanted to provide people with an answer to that question, with an alternative to calling...
Engagement Poem
The client contacted me on Reddit and asked for an engagement poem to read to his fiance. I asked for, and received, some additional details about their relationship and what he was looking for, and this is what I wrote for him!
I Was Bullied and It Took 15 Years To Let It Go…
I am a father, and I was bullied….
I guess I should get this out of the way before I get into it: I’m a dad, and I’m a dad to a wonderful, inquisitive, adventurous, hilarious, nerdy, sassy, delight of a daughter. I have two incredible sisters, and my mother is an amazing woman. Not that I need to have a daughter, sisters, or a good relationship with my mom to know that girls and women are outstanding, capable, complex, and unique people; a woman is more than her familial ties. I do my best to...
The Hives - Hate to Say I Told You So
The Hives are frenetic, frenzied, and furious, flurried, fast, and ferocious, fantastic, fun, and fabled (I like alliteration, sue me). The Swedish rockers found popularity in the early 2000s, alongside the likes of The Strokes, The Vines, and The White Stripes, during a surge in demand for raw and raucous rock. The Hives first coalesced in the early nineties, and they released a demo and a couple EPs prior to 2000. Their earlier albums have an extremely strong punk rock vibe about them, and ...
Dethklok - Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle
Showcase piece for Rock Song of the Week, commissioned piece on Dethklok.
Alcoholism and Me
A personal essay on some of my experiences dealing with alcoholism, mental illness, and self-medicating, originally written as a blog post
Rage Against the Machine - Sleep Now in the Fire
In many ways, the 90s was a strange time, for music, television...music television (shit, I wish I could go back and invent MTV), pop music *cough*GoBritney!*cough*, movies, advertising and more. One of the beautiful gifts of the 90s is Rage Against the Machine (hereafter referred to as just Rage).
The rock quartet out of Los Angeles consists of Zack de la Rocha, Tom Morello, Tim Commerford, and Brad Wilk, at vocals, guitar, bass (also backing vocals), and drums (I’m sorry, Brad; I didn’t mea...
The Fratellis - Henrietta
One awesome, hand picked song from the world of rock and metal, showcased every week.
We also do the occasional article now as well dont-ch-ya-know!
The Fratellis are a rock band from Scotland, and, much like Scotland, they’re a bit unusual in a great way. The band’s a pretty straightforward three piece, drums, bass, guitar and vocals, but each band member contributes to their sound in sneaky ways. Jon Fratelli, frontman and guitarist, also contributes on piano and keyboards; Barry Fratelli, ...
Me, Myself, and Mania
A reflection on mania, it's experience, effects, and repercussions. Originally written as a blog post
Them Crooked Vultures - No One Loves Me and Neither Do I
Showcase post for Rock Song of the Week website, commissioned piece.
Pantera - Walk
Pantera is...well, they’re fucking Pantera, dude, I don’t know what else to say. Pantera sits among the pantheon of the Metal Gods and with good reason. The quartet, consisting of Vinnie Paul (drums), Dimebag Darrell (guitar), Phil Anselmo (vocals), and Rex Brown (bass), came blasting out of Texas in the 80s. Their first three albums, pre-Anselmo, are a bit different than their subsequent records, but 1988’s Power Metal began their string of heavier, thrashier, and harder albums, followed by ...