brannongolden.com

It Was Wednesday

admin — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:36:51 +0000

A couple of years ago, my Grandma Lila was shopping for some childrens’ toys. She went into a toy store near her house and looked around for a while, but everything they had there was weird. She couldn’t imagine any of her great-grandkids wanting to play with any of this stuff. The lone sales clerk in the [...]

The Procedure

admin — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:10:53 +0000

In the early spring of 2005, when our daughter Evie was still just a brand-new, shiny beautiful baby, I had a vasectomy. I’ve mentioned this particular procedure before, but I promised then that I’d tell you that story sometime. Today’s your lucky day. I don’t know if all urologists are like this, but because mine, [...]

One Good Turn

admin — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:06:38 +0000

Have you ever noticed how many different variations we have for the word “turn”? Most everything to do with turn kind of assumes that things are headed one way, but then they’re somehow redirected. Just think of all the things you can do if you’re turning. You can turn the crank, and you can turn to [...]

Thinkin’ about Rufus

admin — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 09:00:35 +0000

We have these really great friends whose son Drake (not his real name) is roughly 168% boy. He’s a great kid with a good heart, and he’s really smart. When I picture Drake, even now, in my mind’s eye, I can only see him smiling. But because he is all boy, and because our public [...]

Intruder Assassin

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 22:47:40 +0000

Twelve years ago, Kendra and I were sitting comfortably in our living room, enjoying a pleasant visit with close friends, Matt and J.J. It was early evening, the warm, late summer’s twilight just beginning to settle, visible through the windows into our backyard. And I saw him: The beast, slightly larger than a Yeti. Although [...]

Changing Up

admin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 09:00:48 +0000

To my faithful readers (all five of you): I’m planning some upcoming changes to brannongolden.com soon—well, soon for me…as soon as I can get around to them, anyway. I just wanted to let you know in advance because things are probably going to break and look ugly/ier for a little bit until I can get [...]

Regional Champion (Part 3 of 3)

admin — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 09:00:50 +0000

(This is part three of a three-part series. Part one is here and part two is here.) In the weeks leading up to the State Spelling Bee competition, I began to get more serious about the gravity of the possibilities. And by getting “more serious” of course I mean my mom had a heart-to-heart talk with me [...]

Regional Champion (Part 2 of 3)

admin — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 05:27:33 +0000

(This is part two of a three-part series. Part one is here.) My next stop was of course Regionals. Each school sent their winner and runner-up, so you really only got one shot at your own little taste of the 8 Mile dream. During the competition at school, I hadn’t really taken it seriously, and [...]

Regional Champion

admin — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:49:25 +0000

(This is part one of a three-part series. Part two is here.) When I was in the seventh grade, I participated in our school spelling bee. It wasn’t as though I had some sort of far-reaching ambition and aspiration to ultimately become famous worldwide for my ability to spell on a whim words like conflagration and psychosomatic [...]

The Pickup Criterion (2 of 2)

admin — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 09:00:58 +0000

(Today’s post is part two of a two-part story. Part one is here.) When we left Ken’s house, he leisurely drove us…directly to a supermarket. Although it was one I had seen before from the road, I had never been inside. Honestly, I never really even paid attention to it. It was kind of an [...]