Bagsy
Gehe ich damit um?
Obwohl mein Prüfungstermin diesen Monat nicht klappte, tauche ich immer noch ins Deutsche ein. Vor einigen guckte ich …
Tschüss, 2022
Vor einigen Tagen habe ich von etwas Komischem geträumt. Ich saß an einem Tisch neben vielen anderen Menschen; ich …
An Old Friend
Several months ago my Russian language partner sent me a photo of her dog dozing in his bed after he shredded it. …
Vorbereitung
Es ist lange her, dass ich geschrieben habe. Aber ich habe eher einen Grund als eine Ausrede, so denke ich zumindest. Im …
Sachsenhausen
It rained on only one day when I was in Germany. This was the day I traveled to Oranienburg, a suburb only about fifteen …
Eastern Europe in Germany
It was only months ago that the war in Ukraine debilitated my psyche. For the first couple of weeks I, as someone who …
Eine geistige Heimat
Yesterday I returned from Germany, the best trip of my life. Before the trip I did not hesitate to voice my fears about …
On anti-intellectualism
A couple years ago my mom sent me a photo of medical test results. Our relationship was barely hanging by a thread at …
Закрытая дверь
Мне очень трудно, написать это. я никогда не написала что-нибудь длинный по-русски. Это продолжается долгая время, …
Eine gebuchte Reise
Heute schreibe ich meinen ersten Blogbeitrag auf Deutsch. Das wollte ich früher tun, na ja. Jetzt ist es die perfekte …
Where do I stand?
I am distraught. Do I stand with the thousands who call Ukrainian Village home, my favorite neighborhood in my favorite …
Go for the Opener
Last week I attended my first show since November. I spent much of December and January wondering if live music was …
Vulnerability: Part Two
Vulnerability continues to simmer in my mind as I absorb LP3, Hippo Campus’s new album released only a week ago. I …
Vulnerability
Surgery is one of the most vulnerable experiences for not only the patient but also the surgeon. Last Wednesday I rode …
More
Although 2020 and 2021 felt together like one ongoing year in some ways, 2021 alone was a year of high highs and low …
My new passport
Not sorry for today’s angsty post; writing helps. Every year my opinion on adoption becomes more nuanced in both a …
Approved
Humans don’t like making permanent, life-altering decisions, even if they know what they want. Humans like having …
Why I Speak German
People often ask why I am so interested in other cultures and, especially, learning other languages. It is no secret …
On Photography
I recently finished Susan Sontag’s On Photography. Here, I include my favorite excerpts from these essays as well …
Fall Photo Galore
I wanted to dump here all of the photos I’ve accumulated this fall, as it appears the season is coming to a close. …
Bleachers Show 11/2021
About two weeks ago I attended my second show since pre-COVID times. I was delighted to see Bleachers for a third time, …
Luck Versus Control
I recently finished reading Maria Konnikova’s The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Master Myself, …
Things I Saw in D.C.
I want to share some things I saw in D.C., even though the trip was two weeks ago. I was able to squeeze in some sights …
My Russian passport appointment
On Sunday I returned from my trip from Washington D.C. I could discuss at length what I thought of the area, but there …
Shame
I’ve been quiet here recently not only because I have not set aside time to write like I should but also because …
Live Music and the Dionysian
Three weeks ago I went to a concert for the first time since December 2019. My identity depends on live music. No wonder …
My 2021 Album of the Year
Two weeks ago I felt like a little kid on Christmas Eve, anticipating the greatest gift. I, cocooned in my bed, stayed …
Thoughts on Between Past and Future
Science and culture: what’s happening? Science has polarized Americans for years but now more than ever. Even …
Used bookstores in used cities
I love visiting different cities, especially new ones. Who doesn’t? My list is short yet includes gems such as …
Catharsis
I’m currently sitting in O’Hare, waiting to board a flight back to Saint Louis after a week-long vacation. …
I'm Busy
An intensifier such as “very,” “really,” or “extremely” often precedes …
Why I'm still wearing a mask
Recently the CDC loosened its face mask guidelines, and my university now allows those who are fully vaccinated to work …
Surrounded by Heads and Bodies
Over the weekend I finished reading the monster that is Infinite Jest (IJ). This book will circulate in my mind for far …
A Neglected Question
Almost all of us are victims of surveillance capitalism. Yet sometimes digital privacy enthusiasts dance around a bigger …
On Mother's Day
I wish Mother’s Day would disappear. Even the holiday’s founder, Anna Jarvis, felt this way. There is no …
No side effects
I received my second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine a couple days ago. No side effects aside from waking up with a stuffy …
Pragmatism or perish
Dutch philosopher Baruch Spinoza claimed that “the highest activity a human being can attain is learning for …
Thoughts on The Sword in the Stone
Dan John is a person of many hats. He is a gem in the dumpster fire that is the current fitness industry. One of his …
Tickets
Nothing else in the world matters when trying to snag tickets for a show guaranteed to sell out in minutes. It’s …
On verbs of motion
Verb conjugations, adjective endings, and different alphabets frighten foreign language learners, particularly English …
Introduction
In college I took photos for my university’s newspaper. In retrospect I did not fully appreciate how fascinating …