Author Archives: mathdreads
Benign Invader
I put on my big girl britches on moving day. Embracing my nervousness, I hopped into my Honda Fit and drove over to pick up the moving truck. I’d planned nearly everything except the route to get the truck to the apartment complex. I took the scenic route to the complex since that behemoth couldn’t … Continue reading
Just Chilling
Talk about timing. I’d just put the last item into my shopping cart when an urgent announcement came over the PA system. A tornado watch. The grocery store asked us to leave our carts, and report to the back. I joined other customers and employees in the walk-in dairy freezer, behind the milk case. Normally … Continue reading
Buh Guh Money
At the beginning of this year, the leasing agent emailed my roommate and I a notice about what our rent would be if we renewed our lease. They’d unwittingly crossed into the “ya’ll niggahs must be crazy” realm. As if we’d pay nearly $500 more. When one of my nephews was a little kid, he’d … Continue reading
π Day
The irony of my π Day observation is that I never observed it when I was a Math teacher. As a matter of fact, if it hadn’t landed on a Monday this year, my current grocery shopping day, I may not have bothered with it at all. Yet since we’ve passed the 2-year mark for … Continue reading
$1.60
At first blush, the title of this post may have led one to the false conclusion that I’m going to talk about the cost of something. In an obtuse way, I guess, I am. Yet after paying the rent, a credit card bill, which included my 6-month car insurance payment and a smaller bill, $1.60 … Continue reading
Blood Fresh book launch
A soulful dancer graced the stage, opening the first in- real-life poetry reading I’d attended since the pandemic had begun. I had invited a friend, who had been a dedicated member of the Austin Writers Roulette, to join me. We used to attend such events individually with writing material in hand and laugh when we’d … Continue reading
Now Hear This
As soon as I wished out loud to be part of a real film set, versus the spur-of-the-moment set where I shot my first short film, the universe granted my wish. Originally, I applied for the “Sound Mixer” position not really knowing what all it entailed. The only other open position was DP (Director of … Continue reading
Valentine’s Day Voting
Never have I been able to combine a pseudo-holiday like Valentine’s Day with something far more serious and precious such as voting. As a matter of fact, I’m not worried about whether I’d ever fall in love again. At the rate this country is going, I’m increasingly concerned if the last time I vote will … Continue reading
Human Error Water
For a change of pace, just to break up the consequences from natural disasters, Austinites underwent a water boil restriction because someone did something wrong. If I hadn’t been under a pandemic quarantine for nearly two years, then I would have immediately entered Peace Corps mode and boiled water as soon as my roommate had … Continue reading
Parking Lot Lake
If one natural disaster doesn’t get me, there’s always another around the corner. On Monday, the sustained heavy rains created miracle lakes everywhere. Miracles because after all this time, money and enthusiastic construction, it is truly a miracle that no one can build things in a way that doesn’t collect water in all the wrong … Continue reading