The 44th season of “Survivor” saw lively personalities amongst the competitors that usurped a host of new twists — In Survivor’s new era of post-pandemic storytelling, the cast of its forty-fourth season really delivered! Beginning in March, they elevated the game with a combination of camaraderie and craftiness. In keeping with my tradition, I’ll be “re-christening” each new season following its finale. …

…but that’s assuming they actually follow through with what they’ve said they would do — Nobody thinks politics is easy. I don’t envy the life of a politician who declares their candidacy for a local, statewide, or federal office. …

Especially since, half of the time, our parents can’t even grasp critical skills on HOW to think for oneself! — For better or for worse, our parents tend to have an outsized influence on us. Sometimes we pick up their productive (or annoying) habits. On other occasions, we end up teaching lessons to our own families and loved ones that we’d originally learned from Mom and Dad. When my aunt…

Holidays seem to become more gooey and sappy for me, as I get older…and this past Easter was no exception! — As I keep getting older, I find that my view of the holiday season becomes more and more romanticized. With so many factors stressing me out during the entire year, I now eyeball the holidays as a reprieve. …

Heteronormativity isn’t inherently toxic…but it isn’t inherently idyllic, either — I’m going to preface this piece by expressing how touched I’ve felt, throughout my life, by all of the heterosexual people who’ve been supportive of me. When you spend your formative years struggling to make sense of how you’re “different,” it feels good not to be second-guessed by those whom…

Even when I’m watching TV totally alone, the giggles emerging from my mouth are minimal — For any of us who watch comedy — be it TV or movies or standup routines — we generally are looking for content that we’re going to find to be genuinely funny. Comedic storytelling is usually designed to illustrate life’s absurdities while teaching us benign ways of coping with stress…

If it’s so impossible for any of us to bring about a better world — then why the hell are we even trying? — In the realm of social justice, we all know we’re grappling with enormous problems. These ills, especially when systemic in nature, have persisted for centuries. Not just in America…but all over the globe. As we learn more about each other’s struggles, we gain greater awareness of how adversity plays differing…

Let’s consider the dangers of making it mandatory or rigid — Last September, C-SPAN held a broadcast where historian Doris Kearns Goodwin was interviewed. While attending an honorarium at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library, Goodwin mentioned how she has long supported the proposal of a national service program for young people during the year before they go away to college. …

A sincere request for Ben, Jordan, Brett, and our fellow freedom fighters…. — Dear Meiselas Brothers, I first discovered your YouTube channel in the weeks leading up to the 2022 midterms. Your commentary kept me sane. It kept me grounded. I tuned into Meidas Touch broadcasts to remind myself that I’m not alone in my political convictions. In fact, I even shared with…