Sometimes you have to capitulate to the cultural zeitgeist, if only to have an informed opinion on the major movements in our (pop) culture. An English teacher of mine once encouraged us not to actually read the great works of literature (that would take far too long) but to instead develop a nodding acquaintance with [...]

This column first ran in October 2011. As Joe Rusin prepares to run his first marathon this weekend, we meditate on his former form in this Fierce Encore! A few weeks ago, some generous soul saw fit to bring in a box of extremely delicious buttermilk donuts to be shared by everyone who works in [...]

Some people were just born in the wrong time. Maybe it’s because I’m getting old now, but I look at these high school nerds today and they don’t know how good they have it. The mainstream has entirely embraced their culture. Superheroes and fantasy adventure, once the lowest of the low, is now embraced by [...]

Spring is in the air. It’s also on the calendar, and for many allergy suffers it is up their nose. As the days grow both longer and warmer, there is an increased sense of social pressure to get outside and enjoy the freedom of getting outside and moving. The seasonal starting gun has fired. It’s [...]

Sarah Vowell is one of my favorite writers. Period. When I first heard her read some of her work on THIS AMERICAN LIFE, I found her voice annoying, and ignored her for a long time. Then I forced myself to actually listen to her, and fell in love with her essays that mix humor, personal experience, [...]

We’re in that odd time of the year right now for sports, when nothing is happening and everything is happening. The two active professional sports, basketball and hockey, are coming into the final stretches of their regular seasons as teams start getting serious in jockeying for playoff positions. The NFL is getting ready for free [...]

February rolls on, and now that the Punxsutawney Phil is back in bed, the Valentines are opened, and the Presidents commemorated, the only big event still looming for the month is the forced pageantry of the 84th Academy Awards. I wrote a column last year about breaking up with the Oscars after having a devoted [...]

I’m told it’s “Love Week” at Fierce and Nerdy. I’m assuming that means romantic love, as Valentine’s Day is upon us, making those of us in good relationships feel great, those of us in a so-so relationships feel anxious but relieved we’re in a relationship, and those of us not in a relationship feel like [...]

It’s been a tough year to be a contrarian. It was just too hard to feel very strongly about anything. Sure, on a geopolitical scale the year was pretty momentous, particularly in the Middle East and in “occupied” city commons across the U.S. But for those of us who escape from the real issues of [...]

(NOTE: Don’t worry if you’re not caught up on THE WALKING DEAD. The following is SPOILER FREE!) Ah, the best laid plans…yadda yadda yadda. I had been trudging through this lumbering season of AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD confident that I could finally write off this show—a show I was never overly enamored with in the [...]