My Cardboard Balcony

Go Set A Watchman "The challenge to our conscience" by Belinda Roddie A review in lieu of an introspection. WARNING: Spoilers Ahead! There's a certain mood set in the United States these days that has severely polarized the population. Namely, we are told to think in extremes: We are either with the enemy or against the enemy, right wing or left wing, bigoted or tolerant. We are living in the generation of no in-betweens, and we are expected to feel strongly one way or the other. We are told to pick a side, pulled from one end of the idealistic spectrum to the other in a massive mental and emotional tug-of-war, and when that happens, we risk losing our own ideas or sense of self. Consequently, it is not easy to read Go Set A Watchman , the long-awaited sequel of To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, with an open mind. From the beginning, before the publication date, readers were being told what to think about the new novel, and all without reading even the first...

Breathing in Brine by Belinda Roddie When I sneeze, pickle juice comes out of my nose.

As I waited for my photos to develop, I walked down to the clothing section and started taking a look at the men's jackets and shirts. I knew that trying to find a suit that actually fit me was somewhat of a lost cause. Anything I bought here would have to be altered, and drastically, to fit the bumps and curves of my body that most boys didn't have. "Good thing I've got a knack for sewing and tailoring," I said to myself, smiling as I remembered my kit nestled in the corner of my bedroom at home. I picked up a particularly cool blue sports coat and held it against my chest.