My Cardboard Balcony

I love my life. I mean it. I love so much about it. The people, where I live, the technology we have, even the culture, despite the gross politics and the uphill climb for certain people's lives and aspirations. But I especially love the nuances. All the little quirks and details that I never imagined would be part of my life but are. I never thought I would want to be a teacher until I was in college. Yet, here I am, teaching English and Social Studies at a one-on-one school, and getting my credential while working at a high school. I never thought that my sister would be in Philadelphia with a British boyfriend. Who knew? Who really knew? But it's awesome that adventure is out there, and though I'd prefer for the two of them to still be in California, I love them and how well they're doing. I never thought I'd be gay and marrying the absolute love of my life. Never came to mind. Not until I was seventeen. I never thought I'd go to Ireland. I never

I Hate Being Homeless by Belinda Roddie As he slept, his middle finger remained outstretched and rigid.

All that was left of City Hall was a lonely stack of bricks, left behind by one demolition group or another. The men had come in swarms, yellow-helmeted and orange-jacketed, like drone bees from a hive, ready to raze the building. The dust literally cleared about six hours after demolition had started, and I had watched the whole thing from my bedroom window, sipping a strong cup of coffee.