WASHINGTON, D.C. — It’s been less than a week since President Donald J. Trump gave the order to tear down the historic East Wing of the White House to make room for his newest architectural indulgence: the Trump Presidential Ballroom, complete with crystal chandeliers, imported marble, and allegedly, a built-in karaoke stage for “international diplomacy through song.” Today, CNN has…
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The Unbearable Politeness of Being Me How I've had to wrestle with the "have to's" in life
“These are the times that try men’s souls.” – Thomas Paine (1776–1783) Life, for all its wonder, is mostly a long queue of indignities. Every day, we’re served a buffet of unavoidable discomforts that suddenly appear on our skin, awkward small talk that lasts longer than most relationships, and family photos that feel like solar torture wrapped in love. We…
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Trouble on Aisle Six My descent into the blue-vested underworld of Walmart greeter boot camp
I was born to be a Walmart Greeter. It’s in my blood, like high cholesterol and disenchantment. My grandfather, Earl “Pops” Haskins, manned the door of Store #118 for 22 years, armed with nothing but a crooked smile and a wooden cane he used to redirect feral children. My mother, Loretta Mae, served during the great “Plastic Bag Transition of…
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Trump Trades and Tirades The breakfast flakes, cigarettes, and canned catastrophes of America’s first infomercial couple
Viewer Discretion Advised The following presentation includes emotionally intense moments drawn from a lesser-known chapter in the saga of Donald J. Trump. The glossy, ink-smudged era of the 1950s and 60s when dignity was irrelevant and his face was plastered across print ads with all the authenticity of a mannequin having a midlife crisis. Throughout this presentation, you will encounter…
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Money for Nothing The Misadventures of the Chronically Employed
“That ain’t workin’, that’s the way you do it Get your money for nothing, get your chicks for free” – Dire Straits, 1985 We’ve all done things for money. Some noble. Some necessary. And some that still wake us up at night in a cold sweat, with the faint echo of elevator music and the itch of polyester uniforms. From…
