It is hotter than hell here right now. Hotter than Georgia asphalt. Hotter than a harlot in church. Hotter than a June bride in a feather bed. Hotter than the devil’s underwear. Hotter than a $2 pistol on the Fourth of July. It’s August in Memphis. It’s hot. And it’s humid, so the heat is…
Read MoreMeet Sugarlump, my new housemate. For weeks I had been debating whether or not to adopt a cat from the local shelter, but was hesitating because this cat (pictured) started hanging around on my front porch all day and seemed to be a stray looking for a home. Eventually, I began putting out food and…
Read MoreWant to know what that colorful little bundle in the sky is in the picture above? It’s an Oregon man, Ken Couch, in a lawn chair, with 105 large heIium balloons strapped to it. Want to know the best part of the story? His destination: Idaho. Sad to say, poor Ken didn’t make it all…
Read MoreYou may wonder to yourself: who could possibly have had a sadder life than Frida Kahlo? Well, I just saw the biopic La Vie en Rose and I’m pretty sure Edith Piaf can give Frida a run for her poverty. I was only introduced to the work of Frida Kahlo about ten years ago. Kahlo’s…
Read MoreA proposition for my friends, far and near: This year is the 30th anniversay of Elvis Presley’s death. As you may know, Memphis memorializes Elvis’ death every year with “Elvis Week” in August, including a candlelight vigil and an “Almost Elvis” impersonation contest. As it just so happens, Elvis’ death (August 16) is the same…
Read MoreAs readers of this blog know, I often comment on reviews that appear in the Notre Dame Philosophical Review. Mostly, I note when the critics have landed a real shiner (like the recent tags by Mendieta and Maudlin). But, this time, I’m a bit perplexed. In his recent review of the text Entfremdung: Zur Aktualität…
Read MoreI stopped at the gas station yesterday to pick up some milk and noticed that the cashier had a (pretty mean-looking) shiner on her right eye. I asked her what happened, and she told me this terrible story about her bruise: Apparently, she’s been living in Memphis for the last 3 years with no air…
Read MoreRecently I read an article on the web entitled “Five Friends Every Woman Should Have.” It wasn’t well-written and it wasn’t particularly insightful–as a matter of fact, it was on one of those sites dedicated to “women’s lifestyle” that tend to be nauseatingly Oprahesque–but it did provide a very interesting list to consider. Here is…
Read MoreThanks to all my friends who helped celebrate my dissertation defense. (Especially those, pictured above, who decided to celebrate with a drunken arm-wrestling tournament!) I had a great time. And this rosey-blurry-mostly-indistinct photo is exactly how I remember it!
Read MoreHere’s my first response in the “Just Ask” challenge. (By the way, I still need more questions!) Elena put forth the following query: How much does grass grow overnight? What is the deal with the American desire to mow grass daily? First, Elena, I love this question… it hits close to my Memphis heart. Memphians…
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