Arts & Culture
Making Fruitcake for My Father as an Act of Optimism
A year in fruitcake means a year soaking in hope and optimism. Committing to the cakes meant believing that we would all see some semblance of survival.
Who Actually Wins (and Keeps) the HGTV Dream Home?
As of January 2021, only six of the first twenty-one sweepstakes winners were able to live in their Dream Home for longer than a year.
In the Mid-’90s, We Didn’t Know the Word for Consent—But That Didn’t Stop Us
How do we match our desires with our demands? I didn’t have the language to ask.
Ode to the Bimbos of HBO
When I was a kid, the hyperfeminine was considered a failing—but I wanted to both be and be with these beautiful women that I privately gawked at and desired.
Remembering the Bad Boys of My Youth Through Machine Gun Kelly
Like any good fantasy, my desire for all MGK represents is a guilty pleasure, not sustainable or practical.
How to Say I Love You in French
To interact with French people is to hear endless suggestions for improvement.
How to Say I Love You in Italian
With friends and family, one says “ti voglio bene”—literally “I want good for you.” And I believe love is not only something you feel, but something you do.
How to Say I Love You in Spanish
You can’t go bigger than “te amo.” No one says “te amo mucho,” because love is already very much.
Remembering My Chinese Heritage Through Re Gan Mian
Before I knew it, I finished my re gan mian, and I was filled to the brim with Wuhan, now a place no longer foreign to me.
My Mother Told Stories Through Hmong Embroidery, I Use the Pen
Naturally, the first person I wrote about was my mother.