Some of them made the crossing to reunite with family. Some wanted a decent job. Some believed in the promise of America, while others wanted to get the hell away from the cartels. But applying for immigration, whether it was because of time or money, simply wasn’t a realistic option. Phone calls and desperate pleas […]

God spoke to Nat Turner on May 12, 1828. Turner was a highly intelligent man, deeply religious, and a lifelong slave in Southampton County, Virginia. While toiling in the cotton fields that day, Turner remembered that he, “heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent […]

My wife hates Westerns, which is a pity. Sure, there are a couple of unassailable classics she likes, like Tombstone or Unforgiven. But those are the exception. She made it through just 10 minutes of Open Range, scoffed at the idea of watching Silverado, and physically left the room when High Noon came on. Thing is, she’s not the only one. I know a […]

Patriotism is a tricky thing.  Really, it’s a form of love, a love of country. But what’s the right way to express that love? Well, that’s where it gets tricky. Do you show your love of country through military or government service? Sure, lots of people do that, and they do it with gallantry and bravery. William Calley […]

There are two types of people in the world. Those who thought 1999’s The Blair Witch Project was a masterpiece of slow burn horror and those who thought it was about a group of idiots wandering pointlessly in the woods. I’m the former. My wife is the latter. It’s undeniable that The Blair Witch Project is one of the most […]

They called it a miracle, though it really wasn’t one. As we understand it, a miracle is an impossible occurrence, something that shouldn’t happen but does anyway, due to supernatural means. The events of January 15, 2009, played out the way they did not because of the will of the Almighty. Really, it was all […]

Not everyone should follow their dreams. I know, I’m an absolute creep for saying so. We live in a society that pushes self-actualization, and if you just believe in yourself and follow your bliss, everything will work out. But here’s the thing. If, in your personal Venn diagram, talent overlaps with passion, then by all […]

Poverty breeds desperation. I’ve never been poor. Sure, money has been tight, and there have been times where I’ve had to, shall we say, get creative with my finances. But I’ve always occupied the middle-class strata, even if I’ve occasionally drifted down near the bottom rung of that particular ladder. But being straight-up poor is different. That’s […]

The sky is massive in West Texas. It seems to go on forever, stretching out as far as the eye can see, and eventually meeting the dusty landscape in a far off horizon. When you’re under that sky, there’s a sense of insignificance, a feeling that you matter about as much as the scrub brush. […]

First, a warning: If you’re the parent of young children, and you consider packing them into the family truckster to see the new animated film Sausage Party, purely based on the fact that it’s animated…don’t. As a parent, your job is to check out any media your kids consume before they consume it. Animation is not strictly for […]