If you’re anything like me, you hate spiders and your time is essentially divided into three categories: (1) The things you have to do; (2) The things you want to do; (3) The things you do. Category one is pretty …
While Baltimore Burns
As I mature, I’m learning that multiple propositions can be true at the same time. That most issues aren’t either or. They’re usually both and. As I watched Baltimore burn both literally and figuratively, I devoured media coverage and social media …
Our Dog Almost Died Last Week
For years, we’ve given our dog small rawhide Dingo bones every night while we eat dinner. They occupy her for a few minutes so we can scarf down our food without incessant begging. Because our dog is a glutton, she …
Why Baseball Is More Than Just a Game
Whenever people talk about their favorite sports these days, you often hear football. Sometimes basketball. Soccer’s popularity is growing in the United States. Rarely do you hear baseball anymore. But baseball was my first love, and I have a suspicion …
Listening, Learning, and Extending Grace
I’m a bit of a voyeur. Not the creepy kind that gets arrested outside your house. The kind that’s (legally) fascinated by people. I’m a Communication professor at the University of Cincinnati, and when asked why I chose that field, …
What “The Dress” Can Teach Us About Life
If you inhabit planet Earth, you probably know about The Dress. Last Thursday, someone posted a picture of this dress online: Half of the world saw a black and blue dress and the other half saw white and gold. For …
Be a Beacon of Hope
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” This is my attempt to break the silence. A transgender teen named Leelah Alcorn (who lived just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio) …
The Gift of Perseverance
When I was a teenager, my sister and I would drive to a tree farm and cut down our own Christmas trees. One for her house. One for my parents’ house. We didn’t make the trip every year, but we …
Home Field
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this short story are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. I walked to the front of the room, stood behind …
Enjoy Yourself; It’s Later Than You Think
A few years ago, I watched the series finale of a television show called House. I loved the main character, Dr. House. He was a narcissistic jerk (who may have reminded me of myself), but he was a lovable narcissistic jerk, …