This week, I’ve been struggling with what to say, what to do, even what to think. I want to yell everything, and say nothing, and march in the streets, and never leave home. Here are my thoughts. They’re not perfect. Tell me where I’m wrong. Tell me where I’m right. Tell me where I can […]
‘Ha sido un placer’
Matt Welch, age 17.
A brief appreciation
The night before the big game, he stood astride the door to the crowded bar with a half-full beer in his hand, welcoming all, offering hugs, and never taking a sip. As Christine and I approached, his arms flew wide and welcomed us into his circle, a private moment in a sea of people, excitement, […]
Remembering Phil
He actually asked my parents if he could adopt me. It had nothing to do with my parents, who are great, and didn’t need the help. Maybe he was joking, maybe he was serious. It was an odd thing to say, for sure. But it was Phil’s unique way of giving me the biggest seal […]
I can’t run, but I still race
When it starts, the frustration sets in. There we stand, hundreds or maybe thousands of people determined to travel a set distance in the shortest time. The anticipation builds, a countdown or some music blasts, and then it begins. And then everyone passes me. ________________________________________ Since May 2013, I’ve done 11 races. Most people would […]
The next step
The questions have come many times over the years. Why did you leave journalism? Why did you major in Spanish? Why did you jump to work in fraternities? Why do you want to do this now? In many different ways, the questions ask one thing: why did you make choices that seem inconsistent, curious, and […]
I root for a mix of pro sports teams. Here’s why.
One of my friends has a theory about the sports teams I root for: in each place I live, I pick the most successful team. He’s wrong about how I pick my teams, but he’s right that I have a random assortment of teams to call my own. Some sports team affiliations run in families. […]
What it’s like to be in a coma
Whenever I hear the word, I flash back a bit, sometimes for a fleeting moment, sometimes for longer. Sometimes it’s a mindless lyric in a pop song. Other times, it’s a piece of common yet incongruous phrases, preceded by words like “food” and “sugar.” Its use doesn’t bother me, because its basic meaning isn’t […]
On Detroit.
I wrote this post on July 31, 2013, soon after the city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy. I hadn’t shared it, but I figured now was as good a time as any to do so. Four years ago, I visited Detroit for one of my cousin’s weddings. It was Labor Day Weekend, so I left […]
The reunion we never wanted
CHICAGO — We came together in a snowstorm for a good cry, or several. “This sucks. This sucks so much.” Our friend Chris died. At age 25. Of a lung infection. After a long battle with leukemia. We had thought he was OK, or at least, assumed that he was fine after he made it […]
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