In one way or another, we’re all masters of disguise. We don the masks that suit the roles we’re expected to play. Sometimes we do so with such finesse that the lines between the character and actor blur into nonexistence. In the realm of education, I’ve often found myself in the midst of a grand…

When I was in high school, I was shackled by the fetters of preordained forms, what I’ve come to know as the tyranny of literary expectation. The realm of written expression is nebulous enough as it is. So, forcing my personal thoughts to fit within simplistic cookie-cutter molds seemed a major disservice to both myself…

In our time together, Emily and I have embarked upon many journeys along U.S. state highways. What we end up seeing along these often-neglected byways leaves us feeling sorrowful and longing for the comfort and familiarity of home. These trips often unveil the remnants of bygone eras, countless abandoned houses standing as eerie witnesses to…

My muses were once models of perfection I could never hope to attain. But, of course, they were only as I wished to perceive them, and not truly as they were. They weren’t so much objects of my own romantic desire, but rather various aspects of the object of desire I longed to be. It…

Road trips are one of my all-time favorite pastimes. Adventures on roads less traveled are even more my favorites. Back roads often provide the most inspiring memories. But oftentimes it’s less for the remarkable scenery and landmarks than the company shared between family, dear friends, and special loved ones. The conversations shared range from small…

There she sits, dreaming up names for her heroes and heroines, her villains, and her trusty steed, or car, or spaceship. She dreams of an endless space, full of wonders, delights, and dangers she can’t yet fathom. The train that is her imagination has not yet departed for such reaches, frontiers, and fantastic outer spaces…

As a child, I’d hum along to familiar tunes, losing myself in the rhythms and beats. I let the music take me to places beyond reality, stimulating my already wild imagination. During these innocent times, I’d often mutter senseless, totally absurd rhymes in place of the regular lyrics. I’d create my own whimsical world of…

The deepest cuts of my writing often emerge in the latest hours of the night. When they do, the inspiration slowly fades as dawn approaches. If this phase of inspired prose is left to wane without expression, it’s lost forever. So, to force rest when there is none seemingly to be had is pointless, especially…

Have you ever had a moment where you were sure the creative juices were about to start flowing, but then refused to gel into anything useful? Many of my scribblings over the years would start with a great idea, then suddenly stopped making sense. Sometimes, my train of thought will even stop mid-sentence. Sometimes, I’d…

Looking back fondly at my early childhood, many of these memories become like framed pieces of artistic curiosity, rather than snapshots of events that occurred within the reach of my senses. Often when I take time to recollect the best times of my youth, the once-vibrant colors of those energetic days of wonder have faded…