May 12The Small Business of DemocracyDemocracy is weakened not by wrecking balls, but by well-placed chisels, often in the hands of local officials. I’m learning this the hard way, after years of directing most of my attention to anti-democratic efforts at the federal level and not enough to the small business of democracy being transacted…Politics4 min read
Oct 27, 2021Immutable CharacteristicsMy school board candidates are using coded language to promote racially problematic platforms — and it diminishes us all. — Like many who live in the Twin Cities, I am suffering through a school board election. And, like many others, I’ve been disheartened to see politically motivated candidates vying for what should be a non-partisan position. I suppose it was inevitable that the derangement of the last six years would…Race4 min read
Aug 16, 2021Death of a TreeINCIDENT REPORT ON DEATH AT 25XXX YELLOWSTONE TRAIL Note: This incident report is meant to aid in the investigation and analysis of the events at 25XXX Yellowstone Trail in the spring of 2019. While like all incident reports it includes the root causes and subsequent sub-events that followed, it does…Mwc Death10 min read
Sep 29, 2017Emergent Norm Theory and Post-Climate Change Impact: Appendix ANote: the following short story was originally published in Enizagam Literary Journal out of Oakland and was chosen by Diane Cook as the winner of the Enizagam Short Fiction Prize It is currently print-only and I’ve received several requests to put it online, so here it is. The following appendix…Climate Change11 min read
Published in Arcturus·May 3, 2017Honeymoon in Temporary LocationsFiction by Ashley Shelby — Well, V, I’m sitting in the front parlor of the Glensheen Mansion, finally in the Promised Land. Let this missive serve as confirmation that I’ve safely arrived in a Climate Impact Resettlement Zone. Spread the word to those who were wondering if I ever made it — with patience, persistence…Fiction18 min read
Feb 23, 2016Scholastic’s Princess and Nail Art ProblemScholastic Book Club was, at the time I entered elementary school, the best thing that had ever happened to me. A thrill always ran through me during the ceremonial handing-out-of-the-Scholastic-order-forms in class. …Education3 min read
Oct 14, 2015Bunnies in Tutus and a Fox in SocksMy daughter has reached the age where Mom is no longer the arbiter of fashion. She’s five. These days, I rarely risk picking anything out for Josephine without her prior approval, or her physical presence. She’s a tough little number — she requires pants with reinforced knees, t-shirts that allow…Gender6 min read
