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What you say and how you say it matters
Language shapes perception. The words we choose do more than describe reality – they construct it. When speaking about disabled people, language can either reinforce stigma and exclusion or foster dignity, accuracy, and respect. Sensitivity in language usage is not about policing speech for its own sake; it is not an unthinking, cynical, and rote…
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Why February Has Only 28 Days
At its simplest, most basic level, a calendar is a way to organize time. Now, we could take that statement and go “deep,” having a philosophical discussion of the concept of time itself. However, after last night’s cavalcade of mirth and misinformation known as the State of the Union, my inclination this morning is to…
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Where does the name “California” come from?
Have you ever found yourself wondering where the name “California” for the United States’ 31st state came from? State names like Virginia, which was named for Queen Elizabeth I of England, known as the “Virgin Queen,” or Florida which was named by the explorer Ponce de León in 1513 during the Easter season, known in…
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Poodle Lent
Poodle Lent is my adaptation of the traditional Christian season of Lent, reframed for people who are not religious but still value intentional periods of reflection, discipline, and renewal. While its structure mirrors the roughly 40-day observance practiced in many Christian traditions, especially the Catholic Church, Poodle Lent removes the theological framework and focuses instead…
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Brain Surgery
A man walks into a party. Guests are milling around. There is a low hum from the combined conversations of the partygoers, and over it can be heard some faint music. I think it is “Songbird” by Kenny G. Yah, it is. I’d know that song anywhere. Remember 1987? You couldn’t get away from it. …
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My love letter to writing
Writing is one of humanity’s oldest and most transformative inventions. Long before the printing press, long before the Internet, and even long before bound books, people felt the urge to mark symbols onto stone, clay, and parchment. Those early scratches were more than just records of grain or trade; they were the first attempts to…
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Thirteen
This post has thirteen paragraphs; the thirteenth word of every paragraph is 13. I undertook this task partly because today is Friday the 13th, and partly because for all my education (in Philosophy, logic, and rhetoric no less) I am still afraid of the number 13. I have written about this before (here), and triumphantly…
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TaxPoodle’s guide to the sick day call/text
To begin, I think we need to agree on the term. We are describing the act of communicating with your boss, supervisor, manager, whatever-he-or-she-calls-him/herself that you cannot (or will not) perform the agreed upon labor you are employed to accomplish in return for financial remuneration for a period of time, which is usually unspecified but…
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A Day in my Life
While you were basking in the glory of the Seahawks’ Superbowl win, or wallowing in the misery of the Patriots’ defeat, I quietly snuck off to have surgery. I’ve already discussed the why and the what, so I won’t rehash that here. And I’m doing fine… a little tired, a little sore, but at this…
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The ultimate insider’s guide to Palm Springs
You all know I live in Palm Springs, and you may think you know “what” Palm Springs is. A city in the desert. Yes. Renowned as a getaway for the rich and famous. Yes. Winters like the mildest Spring in other parts of the world. Yes. Summers like the surface of the sun. Yes. A…
Your mileage may vary.