Jul 30Member-onlyShame on Us: Suicide Prevention Advocacy Has Finally Lost ItI have never been more ashamed, embarrassed, and repulsed about being a suicide awareness advocate in America than I am today. Suicide prevention and awareness-raising has become, instead of a game of kick-the-can, which it often has been, far worse than that: a venture for maligning crisis workers, pitting advocates…Suicide8 min read
Jun 4Member-onlyYou Say You Love the Constitution, But…You say you love the United States Constitution, and yet you have no problem telling anyone who exercises their First Amendment right in order to call “Bullshit” on any aspect of this allegedly great nation to “love it or leave it.” You say you love the United States Constitution, and…America4 min read
May 8Member-onlyHappy Mental Health Awareness Bullshit Month!Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month? Did you know that #itsokaytonotbeokay? Did you know that some hot supermodel killed herself even though she was a hot supermodel? Did you know that Ariana Grande speaks out to end the stigma around mental health? Did you know that…Mental Health5 min read
Apr 14Member-onlyYour Friendly, Neighborhood Racist FirefightersSmall town news used to be small time news. A cat stuck in a tree. A car rolled through a stop-sign and the driver was sighted, and cited. This ho-hum borough council meeting induced more yawns than it did votes, and that local library held a bake sale. These days…Racism8 min read
Feb 14Member-onlyThe Map of Israel is Tattooed all over My FaceI’m afraid to write this essay. But then, I’m afraid of everything, so what the hell? Even if I don’t write it, I’ll still be afraid. Just not of this. Of something else. Of accidentally dropping the toaster in the sink while I’m washing dishes. …Judaism8 min read
Jan 17Member-onlySweet & Low: The Right Down Reg’lar Ruddy Racism of Gilbert & SullivanI first realized that Gilbert & Sullivan were problematic before I had ever performed in my first operetta. At age 23, I had graduated over a year earlier with a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre. Unsure of how to use that professionally, I was thinking about dipping my toe into the…Theatre8 min read
Jan 2Member-onlyCOVID Times: When Every Shitty Medium Essay Could be Your LastGoddamn, man. That’s pressure. While I am double-vaxxed and boosted, I do realize that COVID could come for me, wrapping itself endearingly around my pleurally-sensitive, asthmatic lungs and refusing to let go until I expire amidst a sea of tubes and beeps that drive ICU nurses crazy night and day…Covid 1914 min read
Dec 6, 2021Member-only“Stigma” Isn’t the Problem: Being Mentally Ill in AmericaIt’s very hashtageriffic, if you’re a mental health advocate in America, to lash out against “stigma” in your battle royale in which you are engaged against… well, against what? Stigma? So you post and you use #fuckstigma or #stigmasucks or #suckitstigma or #stigmasucksbigfatsalamititties in your vitriolic mental health de-stigmatization posts…Mental Illness8 min read
Nov 6, 2021Member-onlySuicide in America Has a Problem; and it’s WhiteSuicide awareness-raising is an odd hobby. I call it a hobby, but I guess you could call it a mission, or a vocation — I don’t know. Those sound kind of lofty to me. I have called it a “mission” from time-to-time, but it’s a little strong for my tastes…Suicide9 min read
Oct 9, 2021Member-onlyMommy; I Have a Stomach Ache: Childhood Anxiety Fondly RememberedPoor Mrs. McCabe. They didn’t train school nurses back in the eighties to deal with motherfuckers like me. Nowadays, elementary school nurses have had their training ratcheted up a few ticks; they’re trained in everything from crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and (you know, because this is America, where the 2nd…Anxiety6 min read
