I’m delighted to announce that one of my “Why It Matters” pieces has been published in the premier edition of Under the Gum Tree, a literary magazine dedicated to creative non-fiction. It’s […]
“Why It Matters” Meets Under the Gum Tree
Deep Cuts: Stop Time and Turn Up the Radio Songs
I have 33,000 songs in my pocket. I can go for three months, twenty-four hours per day and not listen to the same song twice; well, at least not the same version. […]
40. To Learn How To Love And Forget How To Hate
During the summer after eighth grade we spent a week at Disney World in Florida. My father bought some sort of package deal that included a campsite, park tickets, and three meals […]
Warrant’s Lead Singer Dies
I lived within walking distance of the famous Sunset Strip at the tail end of the Hair Metal Eighties. This should have been a huge thrill for me, but I wasn’t a […]
39. That Sleepwalk Should Be Over By Now
My first bicycle was a sixth birthday present: A blue Montgomery Ward knockoff of a Schwinn Stingray; sissy bar and ape hanger handlebars; a black banana seat with a white racing stripe. […]
Deep Cuts: Ten Covers Done Right
Sure every garage band when I was growing up played “Freebird,” but that doesn’t mean they played it well or brought anything new to the table. That’s what makes a good cover […]
38. What Song Is It You Want to Hear?
My first major breakup didn’t even involve me. My sister dumped Mike, no doubt for valid hell-raising reasons, but without considering me. How was I supposed to find my path to the […]
37. Loneliness Will Haunt You, Will You Sacrifice?
Moravia, Iowa is a small farm town. It was even smaller back in 1920, but it grew by one with arrival of a baby boy named Otis. I imagine he was a […]
Goodbye, Amy Winehouse
I don’t really have anything new to say on the topic. Six weeks later and I’m already in repeats: https://jamesostafford.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/30-strewn-with-times-dead-flowers/
36. So I Lit A Fire, Isn’t It Good?
I have been listening to The Beatles since I was four years old. I’ve heard “Norwegian Wood” so many times that I don’t really hear it anymore. It is like a tree […]
