Interrupting Your Regularly Scheduled Programming
A 30-second update about my life, plus a reading list.
This week, I won’t be writing a column because I’m focusing on a freelance job I took exploring possibly the world’s largest internet encyclopedia of philosophy that isn’t Wikipedia. The money I’m being paid to write the story covers the cost of two bikes I recently bought from Two Bikes in the Old City, plus a toddler seat, a hitch rack, and other accessories Haley and I require to start our very own Canever Family Bicycle Gang this fall.
I still like taking freelance gigs when they’re offered. Jenn, a reader of this Substack and editor of Our Tennessee magazine, always assigns good ones. But they aren’t easy to work into my writing routine. The same goes for teaching. This fall, I’m teaching my first online journalism class, and since I won’t get the chance to interact with the students in person, I’m less excited as I usually am to inspire young minds for a check.
I hold out hope that one day I can feed my family or, at the very least, replace the extra income I make doing freelance projects and teaching classes with Substack or whatever digital writing platform is popular at the time. But that day is not today.
As I brainstorm another collection of stories, I’m sharing some of my favorites from the last calendar year with you. Read them, share them. If you’ve somehow missed the bolded text at the bottom of my stories about my awesome and exclusive club of super readers, consider joining.
“On a Rainy Night in Gatlinburg: The Lasting Memory of the Greatest Soccer Match I Ever Coached”
“Half and Half: A Reflection on the Mutant Tree in My Front Yard”
“Manwich: On What it Means to Be a Man in Today’s World”
“Farting in Bed and Other Deadly Sins: Coming to Terms with How Rotten You Are through Marriage and Smoked Ribs”
“My American Airlines Nightmare: A Delayed Flight, Derelict Hotel, and Forcing Myself to be Grateful”
“Blood Sport Pt. II: The First and Last Real Fight of My Life”
“Grillmaster: Culture, Meat, and the Traditions of Fathers and Sons”
“Dream Life: Sharing a Bed, Lucid Dreams, and Story Shards”
“Naked Old Dudes at the YMCA: The Phenomenon that Affects Every Male Locker Room”
“Tough Fishin: A Saturday on the Water with My Brother Turned Out Better than Expected”
“‘I Want to Believe’: On the Existence of Aliens”
“The Problem of Loneliness: The Loneliest Places in America, Technology, and David Foster Wallace” (Attic Club exclusive)
“Certified Husky: Big Bodies, C.S. Lewis, and Suffering” (Attic Club exclusive)
“My Son Doesn’t Sleep: Early Mornings, Letters, and Get-Rich-Quick Schemes” (Attic Club exclusive)
You can also listen to my first book, Big Head on the Block, for free on YouTube (or wherever you stream audio). And if you’ve got some disposable income to blow, pick up a copy for $5 (e-book) or $10 on Amazon. I’d especially love your review.
Upgrade your subscription for as little as $4.17/month to join The Attic Club or buy me a cup of coffee (the gas station kind, not that fancy Starbucks crap).