Disastrous beginning. Otherwise brilliant.
A friend recommended this talk to me, which is admittedly in my wheelhouse because it deals with two things I know well: McDonald's and existential dread. It's an excellent talk—complete…
Norman Rockwell's 1951 painting Saying Grace sold for $46 million Wednesday — a record for the artis
Grace seems a little ridiculous
Possible hot take — meaning you might not love this idea: The United Nations estimates that more than 10,000 children die from hunger and related causes every day. A damn…
Resolution update: October 2024
Every month, I report the progress of my yearly goals to monitor progress (or the lack thereof) and hold myself accountable. The following are the October 2024 results. PERSONAL FITNESS…
A big, happy, forgotten party
On April 14, 1971, my great-grandparents celebrated their 50th wedding jubilee. I learned this thanks to the newspaper. Someone sent me the article from The Call — the paper of…
Matt’s Rules of the World
If I were ruler of the world, I would immediately enact the following laws to improve the quality of life for all of humankind: 1. Drivers who pull their cars…
No one has anything in common anymore
According to recent survey data from YouTube Insights, 43 percent of Gen Z audiences are in a fandom that nobody in their personal life has ever even heard of. Crazy.…
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” returns
One of the best gifts you can give another person is opening the door to something new and glorious. Elysha, for example, convinced me years ago to give the NPR…
Three things that make my heart soar
Three things that make my heart soar: When someone on social media says, "You're stupid!" to me but uses "your" instead of "you're." When someone tries to make fun of…
Alice in Wonderland sucks
Have you ever read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? I attempted to read it last year and eventually quit, finding it as indiscernible as Virginia Woolf. It’s reportedly an example of…
Euro coin stacks isolated in studio shot. Money and finance concept
Relics still kicking
The world is filled with ridiculous relics of the past. From neckties—first worn by Croatian mercenaries during the 30 Years War(1618-1648) to hold the tops of their jackets together—to heels—originally…
