Don’t let the little lies we tell ourselves ruin our chances. — A friend of mine was recently lamenting about how she feels bad when asking for payment for creating pieces of art on commission. When I read her comments regarding why she feels undeserving, I realized the feelings she had relating to it were similar to my own experiences. …

The horrors they endured are still going. — When I was 12, my mom took a job on a plantation in Virginia. Dad was not sure about it, but they offered him a light handyman position, which suited him just fine. I spent my days wandering around the place, fascinated with the history of it all, and there…

A lament of woe? Or sign of the times? — While I’ve been here for less than a year, the roller coaster this place has put me through is pretty wild. Back when I first started writing for the platform in earnest, I wasn’t sure where the journey would take me. …

They never see just how good I am at it. — In my decade and a half of dealing with going through this world as a blind guy, there’s an interesting thing I’ve discovered. People don’t really see those who can’t see. It very well could just be my own, limited experiences with the phenomenon, but it seems most folks just…

Stop finding excuses to be a dumbass, please. — I’ve had the chance to run across quite a few colorful characters during my 5 decades on this dust ball we call home. Some have been amazing, letting me have a chance to pick their fascinating brains to figure out new ways of looking at the world. Others, not so…

I’ve been frowned at a lot over the years… — I think there are probably as many parenting styles as there are children out there. Some people prefer the over-disciplinarian route, ensuring their kids are as obedient as the parent believes they should be. …

Down for the count, if you’re keeping count. — Some things just suck. We’re stuck in a life we have little control over, and sometimes it gets too overwhelming for us to see a way out of. Being born to die really sucks. Sounds obvious, I know, but when we get to the point we realize we’re staring down…

Goes to show determination can go far when justice is involved — Everyone thought he was a creep. The way he always interacted with the young girls freaked everyone out, not least of which the girls, themselves, and when no one would listen, a group of eight boys decided to start keeping track. It happened in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, at the…

This kind of thing happens more often than you might think. — I’ve been disabled for more than a decade and a half. I can say, though I knew it before, I realize just how heinous some people can be to those who can’t defend themselves. The most vulnerable are the most targeted, and being young and disabled is even worse. First…