Posts published in “Issue 4: December 2020”

Rappers catch a lot of flack. They’re misogynistic, violent, and [insert demeaning adjective masked in racial overtones here] … yeah, I said it!  But what we don’t hear often is how wise some rappers can be. If you take a moment to assess their lyrics, you’ll start to notice the commonalities between the second verse and second chapter of that business “how to” book you’ve been pretending to thoughtfully read on the subway.

Don’t believe me and need a rich white guy to validate my thoughts? It’s cool, so do rappers. That’s my point.

If you’re still reading this, during finals no less, I’ve taken it upon myself to offer you something far greater than the elusive Stern A –– perspective (just breathe and take the guaranteed B).…

The end of the year is a time of reflection. This year, especially, we have a lot to reflect on. At the risk of stating the obvious, here are some issues which come to mind: the ongoing effects of the pandemic, responding to social justice issues, the election, the health of our family and friends, job security. There’s also been a lot of loss. The loss of loved ones, of jobs, of our daily routine or of “life as we knew it.” I don’t want to be a total debbie downer, because there have been some bright spots such as outdoor restaurants and open streets and those magical couple of months when you could buy take-out cocktails everywhere and walk around with them (especially during the 7pm cheers for healthcare workers).…

No number of vaccine tweets can stop the inevitable: we’ll be riding out 2020 in a pandemic. And now, in early December, the cruel and unusual twists of COVID-19 are on a crash course with more routine holiday traditions: cooked birds, kitschy gifts, and squabbling with relatives over politics. Even in the best of times, we all know to expect the occasional screaming match between the navy blue and burgundy red branches of our family tree. The toll of the virus is likely to make the usual suspects even more… spicy? 

Rest assured! Here are a few tips from the Oppy for how to approach those potentially table-clearing debates.…

On a hot summer day in June, my partner Tess was on the phone while I was downstairs in the basement (what I call my “command center”), still working as we approached the end of the day. Astoundingly calm, I could hear Tess ask her friend to hold and then proclaimed down the basement stairs: “Dave, there’s a man in the backyard, looks like he’s trying to steal something”.

Naturally, I ran up the stairs, probably in about 4 leaps total, and came upon my living room, which has a transparent sliding glass door. The curtains were already pulled back, and Tess’s account was scarily accurate.…