Aug 22, 2021Member-onlyExuviaeIn the summers of my childhood, I would spend some weeks with my father in a college town nestled in the pines of East Texas. The house he shared with my grandmother had a sloping yard with spilling roils of ivy that led on one side into the untamed forest…Mwc Death4 min readMwc Death4 min read
Published inAn Injustice!·May 18, 2021Member-only“Pose” and the Importance of Queer Emancipation in StorytellingIn its final season, “Pose” remains a cultural force celebrating the queer Black and brown performers of ballroom culture whose influence ripples across generations. The show makes nods to people and events in “Paris is Burning,” its spiritual predecessor, but Jennie Livingston’s 1990 documentary is by no means required viewing…LGBTQ5 min readLGBTQ5 min read
Jan 22, 2021Member-onlyThe Simple Joy of 300 Days of Animal Crossing: New HorizonsAs a longtime fan of the Animal Crossing series, I was admittedly late to the party when it came to New Horizons. I have a soft spot for the simple, zen mechanics of early GameCube titles — I play the original Pikmin because it’s calming and I know the game…Animal Crossing10 min readAnimal Crossing10 min read
Nov 25, 2020Member-onlyIn Defense of Harry Styles and a Better Future for MasculinityInside the December 2020 issue of Vogue is something unremarkable and remarkable at the same time. Unremarkably, a cover star speaks candidly about life and self-expression to the magazine’s European editor-at-large, interspersed with gorgeous photography of beautiful clothing against the backdrop of the English countryside. Remarkably, this month’s cover star…Harry Styles6 min readHarry Styles6 min read
Published inThe Startup·May 30, 2019Member-onlyScheduled HappinessWhat's on my schedule? Let me consult my iPhone reminders, bullet journal, Kanban Boards, Asana task list, Post-It notes, Google Calendar, and bulletin board. usiness school was the first time in my life where I was forced to take initiative and control my own calendar. Normally I relied on direction…Productivity6 min readProductivity6 min read
Published inThe Startup·May 15, 2019Member-onlyGeneration ScapegoatAnalysis of millennials has provided a lot of insight, and a lot more opportunities for sloppy analysis and lazy stereotyping. The millennial generation has come of age under a microscope—the subject of polling, data analysis, and dissection, propelled by the explosion of the Internet and the rapid dissemination of consumable…Millennials4 min readMillennials4 min read
Jan 11, 2019Member-onlyLetters from my GrandmotherThe road through grief and healing from grandson to grandmother. — I was at my desk in the office where I work in downtown Manhattan, texting my mother in San Antonio, TX and nervously optimistic about my grandmother’s prognosis. “Let me know what I can do when we know more,” I said. “I will.” my mom replied. …Family6 min readFamily6 min read
May 29, 2018Member-onlyThe Trip That Set Me Free as an ArtistFitting in with my fraternity brothers stifled my creativity — mushrooms helped it blossom — I remember looking down at the psychedelic mushrooms — inelegantly draped over American cheese on a dollar-menu cheeseburger — and wondering if this was really going to be my first foray into psilocybin. …Mushrooms5 min readMushrooms5 min read
Mar 16, 2018Member-onlyFrom a Bumpy ‘All Stars’ Season, a Deserved Crowning (and More than One Winner)It’s been a bumpy season full of dramatic twists, shock eliminations, and jumps “from there,” but the third season of All Stars ended with a newly-crowned superstar in a contentious victory. Spoilers are ahead, so be warned. We find out that the final challenge to a RuPaul song du jour…Television8 min readTelevision8 min read
Dec 5, 2017Member-onlyThe Beautiful and Impossible Allure of ‘Call Me By Your Name’Since its premiere at Sundance in January, Call Me By Your Name — the tender romance story based on André Aciman’s 2007 novel of the same name — has built buzz among critics and gay men for its portrayal of a fleeting, intense summer love. The awkward, honest chemistry between…Gay3 min readGay3 min read