King Ben's Grandma tagged me to participate in 3.2.1. Quote Me. I swore I would never participate in one of these blog games again, but now look: I'm all in. So here are the rules: Thank the selector (Thanks Grandma) Post 2 quotes for the dedicated Topic of the Day Select 3 bloggers to take part … Continue reading Emerging insect-borne infectious diseases.
Author: jefftcann
Arc of an Athlete
My thirteen-year study: the effects of age on an athlete’s performance. I’ve recently expanded my use of the term athlete. There was a time I would only use it to describe an elite crowd. The professionals, the college stand-outs, the runners who win races but still need a day job because running doesn’t pay the bills. These … Continue reading Arc of an Athlete
Maintenance Mode
I’m in a rut. Those things I do for fun—my hobbies—they aren’t so fun anymore. They used to be, but not recently. Some of my hobbies, it’s been years: no longer enjoyable, but they’re still my hobbies. I haven’t found replacements yet. I haven’t ridden a bicycle this year; I’m a cyclist. It’s what I … Continue reading Maintenance Mode
Ghosts
I just read a cool book, so I’m writing a review. Sort of. I’ve never written a review before, so please bear with me as I stumble my way through this. The book I just finished: The Feed, by Nick Clark Windo, takes place in the not-so-distant future—about forty years after the internet has been … Continue reading Ghosts
Educate
Tourette Syndrome (TS or Tourettes) is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. God! This topic again? Can you tolerate another blog post about mental health? About Tourette Syndrome? About oddity? About me? It’s TS Awareness Month, therefore I feel the need to hammer you (again) with messages about … Continue reading Educate
Doubt
Awareness versus self-pity. It can be a fine line. It’s now Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month (May 15 – June 15). Past years, in commemoration of this month, I’ve dredged up one of my old blog essays portraying my struggles with Tourettes, my struggles with tics and my comorbids (those conditions that often accompany Tourettes: which … Continue reading Doubt
Transforming Mom
Mothers’ Day: a topic deserving some real estate on my blog, thoughts about mom. But not my mom, Decades ago, she got sick, and then she got sicker. She’s been dead for thirty-three years. I’ve already written about her, twice. Pornography About Death Today, I’m writing about Tristan’s mom, I’m writing about Elyse. Elyse isn’t … Continue reading Transforming Mom
Kids’ Day
“Why do you want that picture so badly?” This is Jess, I work with her. I’ve lined up this shot at least seven times. It’s of the vendor-booth across from ours. Every time I’m ready to snap the picture, the wind blows and flips one or both of the signs sideways. I put down my … Continue reading Kids’ Day
Crest the Hill
I’m certain this is bad mojo, Dunston isn’t dead. But it’s probably the nicest thing I can offer a person. I don’t communicate well. When people ask my opinion, it comes out combative, abrupt. When I give a compliment, I unintentionally balance some bad with the good. It’s only when I can sit at a … Continue reading Crest the Hill
Violence
It’s the same fight every time. Once, twice per year, depending on how frequently we get together. Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. Fight is too strong a word. Argument; disagreement; squabble—one of those might be a better fit. These are the holidays that bring Susan’s family together. Her sister lives in Maine, her brother in Massachusetts. Susan’s … Continue reading Violence
World Blogger
Greenland! Bah! My biggest failure. Does anyone even live there? This is a map of my blogging world. If the country is colored, someone in that country has read my blog. Or at least they’ve landed on my blog. How many actually read it? I need better analytics to answer that question. Last week, I … Continue reading World Blogger
Farewell
There’s a certain type of guy who sells his pick-up truck for cash. I’m not that kind of guy. That guy is worldly, capable. He’s the sort of guy who can pop open the hood and spot the trouble areas. Me? I know where the gas goes. I can change a tire, but it will … Continue reading Farewell
My Turn
We’ve dodged a bullet, hundreds of times. My kids are teenagers. Well one of them is; the other one is twelve. So not a teen, but almost. And for all these years, they’ve been the least scheduled kids I know—they’re not committed every afternoon and evening. Not on team sports. Not in church youth groups. … Continue reading My Turn
Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
“Dancing with tears in my eyes, cause the girl in my arms isn’t you, dancing with somebody new, when it’s you that my arms are calling to. I’m trying to smile, once in a while but I found it wouldn’t do. Dancing with tears in my eyes, cause the girl in my arms isn’t you.” … Continue reading Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
Back Burner
Last July, I started a new job. By the end of my second day, I knew I made a mistake. The work didn’t remotely match the tasks we discussed during my two interviews, and my boss, the CEO of the organization, was abusive and demeaning. I became increasingly depressed and by the end of my … Continue reading Back Burner
Etymology, Idioms & Blogs
Hit the ground running… have I done this? Not really. Consider this idiom: A parachuting reference? Jumping off a train? Out of a car? I googled the etymology and found “It may come from troops dropped into a combat zone, from stowaways.” Ignoring the weird punctuation, I tried to find out what a ‘stowaway’ is. … Continue reading Etymology, Idioms & Blogs
Marjory Stoneman Douglas
In my rural white farming community, often derided as Trump Country by the media, children walked out of school not to protest gun laws, but in memory of the seventeen Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school students who were killed when a murderer, rampaging through their building with an assault rifle, ended their lives. Our school … Continue reading Marjory Stoneman Douglas
Another One Bites the Dust
Thump, Thump, Thump, Pap, Another one bites the dust. Thump, Thump, Thump, Pap, Another one bites the dust. This was the biggest song of the year when I was a college freshman—1980-1981. This statistic is backed up by billboard charting, but really, you simply needed to be in a college dormitory to know this fact. … Continue reading Another One Bites the Dust
Dear Boss,
Dear Boss, We’ve been working together for five months. I just passed another anniversary. What do you know about me so far? I’ve learned a lot since I started at the agency. Not about accounting; that aspect of the job is more of the same; I’ve been doing this for decades. Not about my coworkers, … Continue reading Dear Boss,
The Racism of the Walking Dead
This essay was almost called Binge Watching the Walking Caucasians. Caution: If there is anyone in the world (besides me) who hasn’t already watched the Walking Dead, please be aware: this blog post contains spoilers. For the past two months, I’ve been binge watching the Walking Dead. Sort of. I don’t watch much TV. With … Continue reading The Racism of the Walking Dead
