Leigh M. Johnson

Super Tuesday

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Politics 1 Comment

“Nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.” –Barack Obama

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Yes We Can

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Music, Politics 2 Comments

The thing is, I’m really sad that John Edwards dropped out of the Presidential race. As much as I might loathe the idea of rooting for the white guy when there is a woman and an African-American in the race, I think John Edwards was the most right-on about what’s wrong with America. But what’s…

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For the Love of the Underdog

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Pop Culture/Film, Pop Culture/Film/Literature, Sports 3 Comments

It doesn’t happen often in sports, but that thing that all true sports fans dream about and hope for happened last night. The underdog was victorious. And today, the world seems a kinder, gentler and more just place. The New York Giants weren’t simply an underdog. They were, to use the parlance of Plato, the…

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Gift-Giving Gone Wrong

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Philosophy, Politics, Pop Culture/Film, Pop Culture/Film/Literature 21 Comments

As much as I love this time of the year, and I genuinely do, I really hate shopping for gifts. I’m not a very enthusiastic or patient shopper, and the malls drive me crazy. Also, I always want to get people the perfect gift, but more often than not find that such gift is either…

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I Hear Monkeys…

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Memphis, Philosophy, Teaching Comments Off on I Hear Monkeys…

The story about my niece yesterday reminded me of another “monkey” story that I had been meaning to post here. But first, you need some background information. Rhodes College, where I teach, is in Midtown Memphis, which just so happens also to be the location of the world-famous Memphis Zoo. The college sits on one…

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Kids Say the Damndest Things

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Uncategorized 7 Comments

Meet my nieces. They’re 8 and 4 years old, and I am one of those aunts that really believes they are so great that they must hang the moon at night. I never, ever tell them “no” and I am sure that I am contributing to their future as juvenile delinquents. As a matter of…

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Just Ask

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Just Ask 3 Comments

Today marks the end of my first full year of (relatively regular) blogging. So, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have helped to keep this blog alive and healthy by reading and commenting over the last year. (Especially Kyle, Petya, Chet, bernadette, Booga Face, melanie, kirsten, nazareth, Ideas Man…

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Cogito, ergo blog

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Uncategorized 6 Comments

That image to the left there is a visualisation of the “blogosphere.” There are several such constructions on the web, and even a site that offers an interactive “map” of the blogosphere. Totally fascinating. So, yeah, I intend to keep this little dot in the blogosphere going. That will probably be the one New Year’s…

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Burger Friday

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Memphis 2 Comments

My family has never really wanted for drama. Sometimes it’s unwelcome and unpleasant, but sometimes it’s the best thing ever. The Friday before Christmas, I met my family for lunch. There’s a really great and pretty fancy steakhouse in town, which is usually only open for dinners, but every Friday afternoon they open for lunch…

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Just Ask, Part 3: What Bernadette Should Do With Her Life

June 9, 2024 Leigh M. Johnson Just Ask, Pop Culture/Film, Pop Culture/Film/Literature 2 Comments

It doesn’t really matter whether or not you know who bernadette is, because she poses a great question for the next installment of the Just Ask Challenge. She asks: What should I do with my life? Now, it just so happens that I DO know who bernadette is and I could, theoretically, provide an answer…

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