Special Retrospective Column Today

A couple of years ago, I started getting emails from an alternative news service. I never asked, and for years I just let them sit with their crazy conspiracy-filled headlines. I wanted to purge these out of my inbox, but not before sharing the best headlines from the stories that Alex Jones (and a percentage of Trump supporters) probably believe.

"Kill Hill." Read it now on Medium.

A Look Back at 2016

Gerard Sarnat makes his debut with the return of contributor DL Polonsky. It's a rewind to slightly less but still foreboding times in Oddball Magazine.

Me After My Last Haircut of 2016

If my face looks somewhat pained, it's likely because the cold that was festering in me finally took hold shortly after I got back to my girlfriend in South Boston.

Even after I shave off the remnants of the year, 2016 still stays with me like the virus it was.

Hello 2017

I refuse to say "Happy 2017."

After this past year, 2017 is going to have to prove itself in order before I even consider saying that.

Let's come back to it later. Let's say July. By July, I'll know whether or not I'll say "Happy 2017" and mean it.

To 2016

I'd tell you F--- off, but I'd have to get in line.

So...just go.

2016 Highlight: Anabelle

I truly regret not being able to help my friend and his family enough with their dog that passed away from cancer. My Gofundme just barely raised 20% of the money needed, which was nowhere near the final cost. I'm closing this tonight after months of not wanting to think about it. I have other regrets, but this one is one of the more public failures.

2016 Highlight: My Photos

I got an iPad, a new iPhone, and some other new gadgets. Some second hand, some new. All of them helped me with my blogging as I was able to do more work. And while I stayed off the poem-a-day thing, things like my City Haiku series, photo essays, and other musings were helped tremendously. In a year where I faced more and more obstacles keeping me from my work, I came out feeling more prolific than ever.

2016 Highlight: My Other Work

I did a lot of work at two different schools.

That's all I'll mention about that. Suffice to say, it took a lot of my time.

I'm not a teacher. Not an educator in any trained way. It was a lot of volunteer, behind the scenes work.

I worked very hard at it. I've been resting for the past week. I deserve it.

I'll be back at it soon. I'm just including this as a kind of time stamp, a marker. Something to say I was there.

Does This Summarize 2016 too Well?

This photo originally came from Wild Eye Photo Booth. It was meme-ified by Dankland.

Meet The New Year, (God don't let it be the) Same as The Old Year

Read Janet Cormier's last Bamboozled No More! of 2016 today at Oddball Magazine.

2016 in Review

As far as 2016 goes, I'm going to try hard to list as many positive highlights as I can.

If it seems like I'm trying too hard, I probably am. That's because 2016 was the kind of year where you had to try extra hard for anything positive to happen.

I have a feeling that 2017 is going to be in that same vein, but that's for another post.

Google-fied Again

Google added effects again. This time to one of my first Copley Square photos of 2016. Check out the original and see the difference.

First Haircut of 2016

My last trip to the barber in November got me through two holidays and two funerals. There's even less of my hair to cut since then, but at least I finally had the last visible vestiges of 2015 removed.

(And no, this isn't my new author's photo. Last time I took a selfie after a death in the family didn't work out so well for me.)

Ow! Ow! Oooow! That hurts!

Previews Previews Previews!

A shade of what's to come in music, courtesy of the Professa himself, at this week's Twist of Lime column at Oddball Magazine.
 

A Message to 2016

Don't touch me!

I just want to sleep now...