What defeated the Democrats

It seems every publication in the world printed a headline along the lines “Now Republicans must do the hard part … governing,” so I figured if they can do it, so can I! I know it’s a little bit late but just in cause you can’t get enough post-election political analysis, what follows is my own unqualified thoughts.

Life left to chance

Throughout my time here on Earth, I have tried various methods of organization to order my days, all with little success. The trash bins of my life are stuffed full of organizers, calenders and schedulers purchased by my well-meaning mother. Often she will say to me “You will be so much happier if you just use this,” to which I will reply, “I know;” but on some level, I obviously don’t, for I never do follow her advice.

Of course, a life that is less structured is more open to moments of serendipity than one lived in a closed loop. Chance encounters, spontaneous ideas, unexpected adventure … such things all depend upon the fact that they can’t be planned for or anticipated.

Lessons in capitalism at a craft fair

I recently received an education in the principle tenets of capitalism and economic competition from an unlikely source. It wasn’t a Wall Street Journal article or a lecture from a business professor, but instead a visit to a friendly arts and crafts fair.

To be clear, it wasn’t a trip undertaken by my own will. As a hobby, my girlfriend loves to sew, and she recently started making her own clothes. She made some business cards, painted a sign and entered such a fair herself in March, but on this particular occasion we were just browsing.

After a few hours looking at various garments, mugs, prints and jewelry, I came to a realization. If you look past the hand-knit items and cutely crafted tidbits and beneath the kind of hippy vibe that hovers on the surface, these fairs exemplify a kind of ruthless, capitalism that would make Gordon Gekko smile.

All you need to know

As late August moves into early September, the weather is transforming from being an oven which bakes your very soul (and soles, for that matter) to one more welcoming for the hobby of running. Therefore, with renewed vigor, I have set my feet to wearing grooves in my tennis shoes.

Gravity is not a force to be trifled with

In a decision quite divorced from any semblance of logical thought, I recently went skydiving as a way of celebrating a good friend’s impending entry into the world of monogamy.

What follows is an account of the experience I wrote for my weekly column at the place of my employ, that mighty bastion of journalistic might The Kentucky Standard. I apologize in advance for the tacky moral stuck on the end, but it is a necessity in the newspaper column business

There are some things that, from an early age, I have sworn I would never do. Yet at around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, I found myself seated on my knees with my head out the open door of an airplane cruising at about 12,500 feet.

Expect the Unexpected

As a working journalist, I am often afforded the opportunity to have experiences or encounters I might not, in the course of daily life, otherwise run up against. Indeed, one of the perks of the job (besides the excellent pay) is the chance to investigate interesting issues, met and interview fascinating people, and dive into the day’s news head on.

Smoke Break

In Korea, cigarettes were part of the standard rations issued to every soldier. By law, all male citizens were required to serve for two years and most emerged from the experience with a recently acquired nicotine habit.

In fact, smoking enjoyed a broad popularity throughout Asia. From the upper class, suited, hair-parted, heavy drinkers in expensive bars to the grime-faced, blown-back haired motor bike delivery drivers of fried chicken, cigarettes were an ubiquitous presence on Asian lips. College students immersed in a game at Internet cafes, bar goers practicing their rudimentary English with drunk foreigners and old men squatting to gamble at a card game or just the traffic go by, all had packs in their back pockets.