When I'm not writing stories or songs, I'm writing essays, which I put on my blog. Here's an index to them. It starts with the most recent, and works back from there as you scroll.
DECEMBER 2016
ON A WONDERFUL PICTURE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MISERABLE YEAR (12/29/2016)
An appreciation of Megan, girlfriend extraordinaire.
ANOTHER LACKLUSTER POST ON NOT HAVING WRITTEN IN A LONG WHILE (12/28/2016)
An essay about the unwelcome lulls in the writing process.
An appreciation of Megan, girlfriend extraordinaire.
ANOTHER LACKLUSTER POST ON NOT HAVING WRITTEN IN A LONG WHILE (12/28/2016)
An essay about the unwelcome lulls in the writing process.
SEPTEMBER 2016
A LETTER FROM HUGO, EMPEROR OF THE APARTMENT, ABOUT THE FOOD I'M EATING (9/11/2016)
In which The Emperor of Apartment 29D claims what is rightfully his.
ON BUYING COFFEE AND BOXER BRIEFS AT COSTCO (9/9/2016)
In which a humble enterprise reminds me that I have the best Dad a guy could have.
In which The Emperor of Apartment 29D claims what is rightfully his.
ON BUYING COFFEE AND BOXER BRIEFS AT COSTCO (9/9/2016)
In which a humble enterprise reminds me that I have the best Dad a guy could have.
AUGUST 2016
WHY THE STATUE OF ROGER CONANT IN SALEM MASSACHUSETTS IS AWESOME (8/25/2016)
The pictures tell the story, and any student taking a field trip to Salem would do well to read this one. It will make the trip memorable, I'm afraid.
A LETTER IN RESPONSE TO MY CAT HUGO CONCERNING THE NEW DIRECTION OF THIS BLOG (8/20/2016)
In which I reply to The Emperor of Apartment 29D about his seizing control of this blog.
A LETTER FROM MY CAT HUGO ABOUT THE NEW DIRECTION OF THIS BLOG (8/5/2016)
In which The Emperor of Apartment 29D1 comments on his popularity, and seizes control of this blog.
A MUCH NEEDED LETTER FROM MY CAT HUGO TO CHASE AWAY THOSE NAUGHTY BLUES (8/4/2016)
Words of support from The Emperor of Apartment 29D1.
ON A MOMENT, TODAY, THAT I SAW A BIT OF PARENTING SO AWESOME THAT I MUST SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL (8/3/2016)
Parents are heroes. An appreciation.
ON FRIENDS (WHO ARE, LET'S FACE IT, PROBABLY THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO READ THIS) (8/2/2016)
More appreciation of my vast, loyal readership
The pictures tell the story, and any student taking a field trip to Salem would do well to read this one. It will make the trip memorable, I'm afraid.
A LETTER IN RESPONSE TO MY CAT HUGO CONCERNING THE NEW DIRECTION OF THIS BLOG (8/20/2016)
In which I reply to The Emperor of Apartment 29D about his seizing control of this blog.
A LETTER FROM MY CAT HUGO ABOUT THE NEW DIRECTION OF THIS BLOG (8/5/2016)
In which The Emperor of Apartment 29D1 comments on his popularity, and seizes control of this blog.
A MUCH NEEDED LETTER FROM MY CAT HUGO TO CHASE AWAY THOSE NAUGHTY BLUES (8/4/2016)
Words of support from The Emperor of Apartment 29D1.
ON A MOMENT, TODAY, THAT I SAW A BIT OF PARENTING SO AWESOME THAT I MUST SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL (8/3/2016)
Parents are heroes. An appreciation.
ON FRIENDS (WHO ARE, LET'S FACE IT, PROBABLY THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO READ THIS) (8/2/2016)
More appreciation of my vast, loyal readership
JULY 2016
THE ALL-IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT ALMOST NO ONE ASKS ABOUT EDUCATION (7/29/2016)
Spoiler alert: the question is: what are we doing to make students say "I can't wait to go to school," and make teachers say the same thing?
A LETTER TO WHOMEVER MAY CHOOSE TO READ THIS (7/28/2016)
An appreciation of my loyal readership...both of them
A LETTER FROM MY CAT, HUGO (7/22/2016)
The first appearance of The Emperor of Apartment 29D1
WHY THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION MADE ME THINK OF THE FILM "STARMAN" (7/19/2016)
Two for the price of one: political commentary and film commentary
WHY, IN THE WAKE OF A HIDEOUS NEWS EVENT, I'M GRATEFUL TO A BASSET HOUND NAMED SAMSON (7/8/2016)
Another essay on how dogs keep us grounded, and help us remember the better angels of our nature
WHY HEARING THE MUSIC OF MY YOUTH IN A SUPERMARKET IS REALLY DEPRESSING (7/7/2016)
The Pixies' "Here Comes Your Man" is now in a Citibank commercial. This sort of thing inspired this wistful essay about great songs such as this becoming just another tool for commerce.
ON THE SALEM WILLOWS HORRIBLES PARADE, AND HOW IT MAKES ME PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH (7/4/2016)
On a local, life-affirming Fourth of July institution that I intend to see many more times
Spoiler alert: the question is: what are we doing to make students say "I can't wait to go to school," and make teachers say the same thing?
A LETTER TO WHOMEVER MAY CHOOSE TO READ THIS (7/28/2016)
An appreciation of my loyal readership...both of them
A LETTER FROM MY CAT, HUGO (7/22/2016)
The first appearance of The Emperor of Apartment 29D1
WHY THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION MADE ME THINK OF THE FILM "STARMAN" (7/19/2016)
Two for the price of one: political commentary and film commentary
WHY, IN THE WAKE OF A HIDEOUS NEWS EVENT, I'M GRATEFUL TO A BASSET HOUND NAMED SAMSON (7/8/2016)
Another essay on how dogs keep us grounded, and help us remember the better angels of our nature
WHY HEARING THE MUSIC OF MY YOUTH IN A SUPERMARKET IS REALLY DEPRESSING (7/7/2016)
The Pixies' "Here Comes Your Man" is now in a Citibank commercial. This sort of thing inspired this wistful essay about great songs such as this becoming just another tool for commerce.
ON THE SALEM WILLOWS HORRIBLES PARADE, AND HOW IT MAKES ME PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH (7/4/2016)
On a local, life-affirming Fourth of July institution that I intend to see many more times
JUNE 2016
SOME WORDS ABOUT A CHINESE HUQIN PLAYER CAUSING ME TO REFLECT ON BILLIE HOLIDAY AND BESSIE SMITH (6/26/2016)
A humble piece written on a beautiful day in Central Park, and the epiphany that ensued.
WHY THE JUNE 25TH HARDCORE SHOW AT ABC NO RIO ON RIVINGTON STREET IN NYC WAS SERIOUSLY UPLIFTING AND INSPIRING (6/25/2016)
A celebration of Girl Power
"WHO ARE YOU": EXHILARATING AND MORE THAN A BIT SAD (6/14/2016)
Why this song makes me reflect on the sad, sorry decline and death of Keith Moon
SOME WORDS ON THESE WORDS MAYBE NOT BEING SUCH AMAZING WORDS (6/11/2016)
Yet another essay on not having much to write about; there will be many more
A WHOLE SLEW OF WORDS ABOUT HOW HAVING NOTHING TO WRITE ABOUT REALLY MEANS THAT I PROBABLY HAVE SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT (6/10/2016)
One of many, many essays about the challenges of a blank computer screen
WHY IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF SPLIT SECONDS BEFORE SOMEONE USED THE TERM "POLITICALLY CORRECT" IN THE STANFORD RAPE CASE (6/9/2016)
Brock Turner got what basically amounted to a slap on the wrist for sexual assault; in this essay, I contemplate the backlash, which of course, was replete with the term "politically correct," a term I've come to loathe
MARCH 2016
SOME MORE WORDS THAN USUAL ABOUT A FRIEND LOSING HER BELOVED BASSET HOUND (3/26/2016)
A tribute to Delilah, a fine lady, fondly remembered
SOME WORDS ON TRYING A CRAB CAKE BURGER, AND TRYING NEW FOOD IN GENERAL (3/24/2016)
Growing up, my tastes were, to put it mildly, limited. They still are, but in this essay, I discuss actually branching out, if only a little bit
SOME WORDS ON A SIMPLE, SIMPLE STYLE OF WRITING (3/23/2016)
A celebration of short words
SOME WORDS ON ".ORG" (3/22/2016)
Why this is "derekleif.org," not "derekleif.com," and the danger in thinking that ".org" means that you can trust a website
SOME WORDS ON HUGO, EMPEROR OF THE APARTMENT (3/21/2016)
About my adopting my tuxedo cat, and him coming to understand the importance of his designated position
A NEW HOME (3/20/2016)
Musings on moving from Blogger to here