I blame Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita. With The Karate Kid, they made me believe that a scrawny white boy could become a combat master. And, for children in my generation, they provided a family-friendly gateway into the world of martial arts movies. Having dashed exuberantly through that door, I have never looked back. Dojo Dreams “I lied, I don’t Read More
Author: Andre
Forewarn
“Southern Gray Style requires mastery of opposing elements, young male.” The elder monkey knuckle-walked languidly around her new student. “Solid earth forms the base, while each movement shows the fluidity of water.” The young male tried to keep his eyes straight, to maintain discipline. But he found his gaze drawn to the older female’s muscular arms, and to the silver Read More
Lion Dance
Until March 2nd, more than a billion people worldwide will celebrate the Chinese New Year. Fireworks, festivals, and the biggest human migration will usher in the Year of the Dog. And with luck, you may get to witness a traditional Chinese lion dance. Intro to Lion Dance In college, my roommates included me in an invitation to join the re-forming Read More
Commit
Teddy sat on the bench and sobbed. Around him, gathering clouds had driven most other people out of the park. But Teddy didn’t care. Pasua’s rejection had ruined the romantic view long before the clouds came. Now, the darkening sky matched Teddy’s mood. Against his will, Teddy’s eyes found the gray, felt box where it lay discarded on the bench. Read More
5 Foods Elephants Never Forgo
Let’s face it, the average pachyderm weighs between 3-7 tons, and may spend up to 16 hours a day eating. They should and do reach for third helpings of everything. For the sake of fun and human-pachyderm bonding, though, let’s run through a list of 5 foods elephants never forgo. Amarula on the branch – While pachyderms eat marula fruit Read More
Forgo
“Whoa, fella, don’t you think it might be time to call it a night? You’re hitting the buffet line pretty hard.” I turn, a fistful of shrimp dangling over my plate. Denise is giving me the hairy eyeball and looking meaningfully at my selections. I discreetly replace the ladle of pasta salad with my trunk, and do my best to Read More
Faithful Fan
Tonight, the New England Patriots football team will square off against the Philadelphia Eagles in Minneapolis, Minnesota to contest Super Bowl LII. I have rooted for New England since 1987, and I have seen beautiful and horrid Super Bowls. I believe myself a faithful fan, but I don’t know how much of the game I’ll watch. After all, the Patriots Read More
Credit Without Controversy
Elephants never admit when people surprise them. But even critics of Colin Kaepernick should take a moment to applaud the results of his Million Dollar Pledge. Now, I know the Kaepernick brand has generated a mix of strong opinions recently. For some good deeds, however, we ought to give credit without controversy. And giving a million dollars to charity? That’s do-gooding we Read More
Forfeit
The hockey game was over. Like, it had been over since midway through the second period, nearly fifteen minutes of game time earlier. But there was Elphege, still throwing his weight around out front, trumpeting at his teammates to keep skating, and pissing off the other bench with way-too-hard hits for a blowout. When the ref gave him a double Read More
Elephants Never Admit, Baseball Edition
Stay tuned for additional admissions in Credit Without Controversy, about Colin Kaepernick’s Million Dollar Pledge, coming soon.