By U.S. State
By Country
One Hundred Seventy One
by Mary Margaret Healy | Jun 19, 2014 | Pennsylvania
Later today, two brigades of enemy infantry will march down Chambersburg Pike. Buford and his men will do their best, but they will be easily outmatched and overridden.
One Tiny Tomato
by Matt & Laura Hubers | Jun 18, 2014 | Placeless
We had enough to plant a small garden this year. I sneak over and check on them every day when I get home from work (the sneaking so that they don’t become frightened).
Life to the Fullest
by Geneva Langeland | Jun 17, 2014 | Placeless
The next time you feel lonely, remember that between one and three percent of your body is composed of total strangers. And that’s 1014 bacteria for every one of those 7.2 billion people.
The 2014 World Cup: A Primer
by Andrew Knot | Jun 16, 2014 | Placeless
Hidden somewhere in all of this might be a dissertation topic on grammatical manifestations of differences between North American and British conceptions of collective units.
Humor in the Classroom
by Sarah (VanderMolen) Sundt | Jun 15, 2014 | Placeless
The nice thing about my second year was that there were fewer surprises. I no longer had to get over the shock of a girl thinking it’s acceptable to curl her hair in the middle of my lesson.
Together
by Will Montei | Jun 14, 2014 | Placeless
Being unique is easy. So easy, you don’t even have to think about it, if you so chose. Not that that stops any one of us from taking a few moments a day to prove it.
Let Them Eat Cilantro
by Melissa Dykhuis | Jun 13, 2014 | Placeless
Pseudoscience falls into three categories: 1) refutable and harmless, 2) watertight and harmless, and 3) watertight and life-or-death. Battles that fall into the first and third categories are worth fighting.
Hands
by Abby Zwart | Jun 12, 2014 | Placeless
A bird in hand is worth two in the bush. A firm hand. I have to hand it to you. To have the upper hand. To be underhanded. Give me a hand. Sleight of hand. The matter at hand.
Snippets of Reality
by Elaine Schnabel | Jun 11, 2014 | Hungary
Turning the key four times to the right. The coos of belligerent pigeons roosting outside their window, the flaps of their wings oddly resonate in the small living space.
The River Guide
by David Greendonner | Jun 10, 2014 | Michigan
Nick sat smoking, looking out over the country. He did not need to get his map out. He knew where he was from the position of the river.
Calling All High School Students
by Bart Tocci | Jun 9, 2014 | Placeless
88% of the calls: Beep-bop-boop-beep dialing the phone. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Robot voice: Hello, 7-0-8-5-5-5-5-5-1-1 is not available, please leave a message…
No One Is Born Alone
by Paul Menn | Jun 8, 2014 | Italy
But after Greg passed, something truly remarkable happened. My grandpa made a request that was shocking to the doctors—he wanted to donate his son’s organs to those who needed them.
Bea
by Caroline (Higgins) Nyczak | Jun 7, 2014 | Hungary
We listen to her stories of her young years there. It’s strange to hear older adults rave about the being the age you are now, and I am always unsure how to respond.
Stealth Camping: A How-To Guide for the Frugal Traveler
by Josh deLacy | Jun 6, 2014 | Canada
Sleep isn’t all that important if it comes at that rate. A night that costs more than thirty bucks is a night that would be better spent wandering around the streets killing time until sunrise.
Scars AND Stories
by Alissa Anderson | Jun 5, 2014 | Placeless
Scars are the evidence of life—each one comes with a story, and an abundance of stories is, arguably, one of the best evidences of a life well lived.
Book Club 2014
by Sarina Moore | Jun 4, 2014 | Placeless
It's the beginning of Summer Book Club 2014 at our house. What will you be reading this summer?
How to Picnic à la Française
by Sabrina Lee | Jun 3, 2014 | France
I had forgotten that the typical French student never packs a sack lunch and wrinkles her nose at the suggestion of peanut butter and jelly.
Fieldnotes from the Potty Chair
by Jacob Schepers | Jun 2, 2014 | Placeless
Sure, this undertaking’s not quite as advanced as rebuilding the Six Million Dollar Man—though that price tag might just be in the ballpark for the cost of diapers.
It’s Just Basil
by Amy (Allen) Frieson | Jun 1, 2014 | Placeless
All was well for a couple of weeks. Pizzas were delicious. Eggs were delicious. Fresh herbs were right on my windowsill, and I was keeping them alive.
Fantastic Beasts: Field Guide
by Bekah (Williamson) Medendorp | May 31, 2014 | Austria, Poland
Her jaw snaps decisively at the treat offered to her and I immediately recognize that jaw’s ability to snap me decisively in half if the opportunity arose.
Going Home
by Andrew Orlebeke | May 30, 2014 | Grand Rapids, Washington, D.C.
I am no stranger to nostalgia. My mom tells me that when I was younger I used to hug the Christmas tree after it had been taken down and dragged to the curb.
The House
by Shelly Mosurinjohn | May 29, 2014 | Oregon
I felt helpless and a bit stupid standing out there in the dark. It dawned on me that this wasn’t like my childhood doll house or some story I was just making up.
Nala
by Stephen Mulder | May 28, 2014 | Placeless
Fortunately, Nala rather liked me as well, which was very good news because Nala was not always the easiest cat to deal with in her younger years.
The Small Things That Scare Us
by Brad Zwiers | May 27, 2014 | Placeless
Ticks are tiny mini-monsters, basically the equivalent of the radioactive spider that bit Peter Parker except they carry Lyme disease and not superpowers.
Lessons in Monstrosity
by Griffin Jackson | May 26, 2014 | Chicago
I know it’s illegal, but do I care enough to prevent it when I see it? Does he want us to stop him? Will saying something be more trouble than it’s worth?
Revise, Revise
by Bethany Tap | May 25, 2014 | Placeless
When an idea is still inside me and dormant, I can control it completely. Once I let the beast go, it seems much tamer and so much more trivial.
Scar Stories
by Lauren (Boersma) Harris | May 24, 2014 | Placeless
Lauren tries to climb over one-and-a-half-foot slab of concrete to higher ground. Even more minimalist version: Lauren attempts to climb one stair.
The One That Made It
by Jenn Langefeld | May 23, 2014 | Placeless
I spent a lot of second grade working on damp purple worksheets and trying not to think about my feet. Because once I started thinking about my feet, I couldn’t stop.
(hum(an)imal)
by Robert Zandstra | May 22, 2014 | Placeless
Many questions about the similarities and differences between humans and other animals boil down to questions of religious significance.
Apes, Beasts, and Beluga Whales
by Libby Stille | May 21, 2014 | Placeless
We all knew what we were. Sarah and I preferred to be beluga whales. It sounded more elegant than the other options. My brother was an ape, clearly.
