personal essay

My Beef With San Francisco’s Cannabis Dispensaries
With a couple odd jobs in between, I’ve worked retail and/or food service for over twenty years. Both are terrible for their own hellish reasons (I promise, while the service industry is punishing, retail is outright unforgiving). Meanwhile, as I mopped up the coffeehouse/shoe store/sausage hut, the cannabis industry was

When Someone You Love Dies
Jonathan Emilio Ruiz, a close friend of the author, died unexpectedly, leaving behind a legacy of bringing people together and bringing joy to those around him.

Eat, Game, & Sing in San Francisco This Spring!
It’s Springtime in San Francisco, which means it’s time to put your phone on silent for a while and step out into our fair city to sing, eat, and play with the wonderful people and programming on offer. Whether in the flesh or on a live stream, the journalists and

Life After Grad School?
Sometimes it doesn’t make sense. You did everything right: went to college, earned good grades, published short stories. You finished grad school with a full-length manuscript, even scored some artist residencies. Your list of professional references is growing, an excellent sign. The right people are endorsing your work. It appears

What I Learned About Karma At A Grocery Store In Oakland
They say “variety is the spice of life,” but I’m pretty sure ambiguity is. There are no instructions on how to live or what’s truly right or wrong. We’re born and then we’re just dropped headfirst into this thing called life. No matter what part of the world your parents

Long COVID and the Journey Back
by Matt Barkin I spent most of the pandemic sick and rotting away in bed. It became my all-purpose piece of furniture. If you watched a sped up version of that time you’d see me there windmilling my arms around like a madman between my computer, phone, books, plates of

Are Only Children Selfish?
Written By: Habibi Bridges I’ve always told my friends and family that I would avoid two types of guys when it comes to dating: first born sons, and only children (who by default are also first born). The reasons are numerous, and as a middle child from a family of

We Have A Choice: Build Affordable Housing Or Live In Hell
San Francisco is a beautiful city, and if you’re able to live here, you’re unbelievably lucky. It’s a pretty privileged place, that’s filled with privileged people who lead privileged lives. The topography is gorgeous, the fog is charming and the light that leaks from windows, situated on the city’s many

We’re All Going To Die
Jennifer Lawrence’s character screamed it at her interviewers for downplaying a comet headed towards Earth in Netflix’s Don’t Look Up. Raja said it with wonder in her eyes during a commencement speech for the queens of All Stars 7. It’s one of Homer’s favorite sayings on The Simpsons, as well