Americanism November 3, 2009

I’m reading a book right now–The Last American Man, by Elizabeth Gilbert–that explores the concept of American masculinity and frontier culture (perfect for me, right?). Right or not, it ascribes much of American culture to the existence of that frontier–and to its ultimate disappearance. That seems to be a common impulse: linking our culture to [...]

Mississippian November 2, 2009

Today I finally installed my Mississippi license plate to my car. (It’s been sitting in my living room for two weeks. Which is probably illegal.)  It’s with a strange pride that I become an official Mississippian. Which is a great word.

Disturbing October 7, 2009

There are eight–eight–little frogs that have suctioned themselves to the exterior of my window. One of them’s not even that little.  One of them is peering through the glass with his little orange eyes, his gullet vibrating furiously. I’ve never seen anything like it.
October’s not so dry anymore, either.

Delta October October 3, 2009

In September it rained for days on end. Rain came down in sheets, flooding the road to the house. Once a week a storm would pass through town with rain so thick that cars couldn’t drive.
The rain broke with the changing of the month–it came like spring in reverse, the unbearable heat and humidity of [...]

The Greatest Spot in America October 1, 2009

Back when I lived in South Dakota, a few of my friends and I looked at a night sky map to determine the darkest spot in America, and determined it was somewhere up in the northwest corner of the state.  So we planned to drive up there, park on the side of some county highway, [...]

The Accident September 28, 2009

Two weeks ago I got hit by a car.
It’s part my fault.  I live about two miles out of town, on a road just off the state highway.  It’s out in the country, beautiful for running except the dogs.  But out on the other side of the highway there are dirt roads running through catfish [...]

A Return August 16, 2009

I was slow to leave D.C.  The upcoming drive wasn’t so bad–sixteen hours over the next two days–and no matter how many minutes I lingered in my apartment, I was rushing out of the city, leaving just six months after I’d arrived. Still, I ate breakfast slowly and carried my few remaining possessions piece by [...]

Virginia July 16, 2009

I’d forgotten what Virginia really looks like. For five months, I’ve worked there every day–I’ll have to pay taxes there–but that’s caused me just to think of the state as a mass of office towers and condos. It’s no wonder Thomas Jefferson envisioned a nation of agrarian individuals: fields look perfect in the Virgina foothills, [...]

The Effects of D.C. July 16, 2009

I now find it physically possible–sometimes even enjoyable–to watch C-SPAN.

Prescience June 19, 2009

From “The Elusive Green Economy,” in this month’s Atlantic:
[In 1977] Jimmy Carter installed solar panels on the roof of the White House. “A generation from now,” Carter declared, “this solar heater can either be a curiosity, a museum piece, an example of a road not taken—or it can be a small part of one of [...]