LIVING YOUR TRUTH: The influence of video games vs. media in violence and representation
“Have an argument with me,” I texted to my friend Jason McLain. McLain is a fellow video game nerd, and we tend to have pretty deep philosophical discussions on feminism, politics, and various other topics. He’s often served as a sounding-board for when I’ve found myself in moral/ethical quandaries in the past, and I really […]
LIVING YOUR TRUTH: This ‘special snowflake’ doesn’t need a ‘safe space’ – just respect
“Are you a special snowflake?” she asks. No masking, no beating around the bush, just asking me outright. “Yes,” I reply, with a big smile pasted across my face. “I am a special snowflake.” I say it, and I mean it. She has no idea what to do with that… because her lord and savior, […]
LIVING YOUR TRUTH: Why the Transgender Day of Visibility is necessary
March 31 has been designated the International Transgender Day of Visibility, and so it has been. It was founded by transgender activist Rachel Crandall in 2009 as a reaction to the lack of LGBT holidays celebrating transgender people and envisioned to run counter to the Transgender Day of Remembrance, where we read and remember the […]
LIVING YOUR TRUTH: As Republicans say no to AHCA, so does NEPA at health care town hall in Scranton
“How are we still talking about this in 2017?” asked Peggy Mannion at a town hall to discuss health care in Northeastern Pennsylvania at the Jewish Community Center in Scranton Thursday evening. Of course, we know how – and why. Seven years to the day that President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, we […]
LIVING YOUR TRUTH: 2017 Geisinger Transgender Conference is strangely missing trans representation
As we come up on the 2017 Transgender Awareness Conference, scheduled to take place on Monday, April 10 at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (formerly the Commonwealth Medical College) in Scranton, I feel compelled to be there. In its fifth year, we see that the conference has undergone something of a name change, now […]
LIVING YOUR TRUTH: LGBT support in NEPA music scene clear at Wilkes-Barre punk rock benefit
Here we are, in Donald Trump’s second month as president, with a new Muslim ban to replace the extremely unconstitutional one that came before it and a worse health care plan designed to replace the Affordable Care Act, titled – I kid you not – H.R. 1275 – World’s Greatest Healthcare Plan of 2017. I […]
LIVING YOUR TRUTH: Transgender bathroom repeal isn’t about safety – it’s about alienating others
It would appear that, so far, Donald Trump is doing exactly what he said he would and making good on his campaign promises. Promises such as the promise to defund Planned Parenthood; the promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act; the promise to tear families apart and make life a living hell for Muslims and […]
BUT I DIGRESS: What makes a good pop song (and how to make pop music great again)
I have no idea what I’m going to be babbling about today, kiddies. I know I do need to knock something out or I’ll get chewed out by the boss, so I’m giving it the ol’ “James Joyce” treatment. The results couldn’t possibly be worse than that hack’s unintelligible dreck. Why Hemingway hung around with […]
BUT I DIGRESS: What your choice of Christmas lights says about you
As you may have noticed, I like to draw parallels between stuff. Generally, it goes like this: “I think it’s cool, so it gets a favorable comparison to cool things,” or “This sucks. I liken it to poo.” Not today, however. Today is about achieving unity through diversity. It’s not about how different we are, […]
BUT I DIGRESS: Play original music on your own terms, even if it means losing out on paid gigs
Greetings, faithful readers! As you may have noticed, I’ve been away a while. But while I was gone, I made sure to read all of your e-mails, requests, and suggestions. I’m returning anyway. So it’s like this, see? I play music. I loathe using the term “musician” for a couple reasons, not the least of […]
