I’ve been thinking about Reddit and how many folks use it to be the friend that they don’t have in their lives. There have been many times in my life when I was curious or excited about some activity but didn’t know how to start. Tap dance, playing the harmonica, writing science fiction are ones…
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Accidentally Learning to Sail
It’s the Summer of 1997 or 1998. I’m in Silver Bay, New York for the annual retreat of New York Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Basically it’s adult summer camp for Quakers in New York. That’s as exciting as it sounds, complete with lots of meditation, reading, quiet conversation, and contemplative walks…
Home Cooking (poem)
Home Cooking november 1994 I lay awake under a heavy veilOf mosquito nettingThat defends my sweet American bloodFrom the thirsty insects of my homeland.The early morning lightSteps softly into this upper roomOf my grandmother’s home,Gently warming the slumberingCousins, aunts, and unclesThat lie on the floor all about me. It has been a hard weekThis first…
Ms. Millar: The first person who thought I was smart
Hey, it’s International Women’s Day! There are so many influential women who have nurtured and supported me over the years. Today I wanted to uplift my middle school math teacher Ms. Millar. To be honest, I don’t remember much about Ms. Millar, other than she was a kind, sweet, older white lady that taught 6th…
Rink – a poem
Rink (2008?) We loop round and roundTo fuzzy disco and the chatter of skatesSome somehow danceI stumble in rhythm.
Rolling (poem)
rolling rik panganiban june 1997 Strangers insist on telling me horror storiesabout broken arms, fractured skulls,knees that never healed rightwhen they see me on my rollerblades. “There’s this one fella got draggedfifty feet under a truck, skatingtoo close to traffic. Had two kids.” This is not welcome information. “You’ll never catch me deadOn those silly…
“stringing and unstringing my instrument…” (quote)
“I have spent many days stringing and unstringing my instrumentwhile the song I came to sing remains unsung.” ― Rabindranath Tagore
There is no such thing as a “safe space” (poem)
There is no such thing as a “safe space” — We exist in the real world. We all carry scars and have caused wounds. This space seeks to turn down the volume of the world outside, and amplify voices that have to fight to be heard elsewhere, This space will not be perfect. It will…
Poor and Alone in Geneva
The year was 2003. I was in my thirties, trying to figure out the next step in my career. The obvious way to do that was to move to Geneva, Switzlerland. You know, like everybody does. Even at the time, I didn’t feel super confident in the move. I loved living in New York City…
I Bought the 1982 EPCOT Map (print)
Cue nerdgasm! I just received yesterday from Ebay a print of the 1982 map of the Disney EPCOT theme park. Just $24 (plus shipping) for theme park bliss! Well worth the price. EPCOT officially opened on October 1, 1982, so this is the initial set of offerings in the park, with a few still pending….