[njtransit]

There were a number of essays that influenced my world view and a story that left a strong lasting impression.

The essay on why we consume mass media was insightful at the time and particularly prescient given the rise of influencers, streaming, and short form video.

The essay “Tennis Player Michael Joyce's Professional Artistry as a Paradigm of Certain Stuff about Choice, Freedom, Discipline, Joy, Grotesquerie, and Human Completeness” influenced me greatly. It made me realize how much pure artistry and mastery there is in the world. And most of it goes entirely unappreciated.

Incarnations of Burned Children was an amazing piece of literature in a harrowing and terrifying way. To this day, years later, I experience extreme l’appel du vide when carrying hot water around my children.