Grub Street is a terrific resource for writers in the Boston area — they offer classes, consultations and conferences. They also have a daily blog of writing advice. My contribution was about what I learned from listening to the “Breaking Bad Insider Podcast.” It starts: I’m among the many fans who are eagerly awaiting each…
After Breaking Bad’s last episode’s cliffhanger, I have no idea whether Hank, Gomie or Jesse survives, but I had a sudden flash of insight as to what will happen with Walter White and the Neo-Nazis. My prediction is based half on what is being shown with the characters, and half based on analyzing the narrative…
The July 14, 2013 issue of the Boston Globe Magazine printed this letter: DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION Just a quick note to tell Jack Cheng (Connections, June 23) that he wrenched my attention away from the crossword with his first paragraph: “A 70-year-old man is blocking the base path . . . . As he stumbles, I race toward…
My original title was “The Opposite of Racism is not ‘Race-Blind’” for what it’s worth. Here’s how it starts: Only white people think the opposite of racism is “race-blind.” That was one of the first thoughts that came into my head as I heard about the process of the George Zimmerman’s trial. (Just to be…
My latest contribution to the Boston Globe Magazine came in the Connections column on Sunday June 23, 2013 begins this way: A 70-YEAR-OLD MAN IS BLOCKING THE BASE PATH. He’s clearly in the wrong here, so I shove him forward, and as he stumbles, I race toward second base. Wiffle ball is not to be trifled…
Life lessons I learned while watching two spelling bees, published in Brain, Child Magazine. My two children recently competed in city-wide spelling bees. Sitting in the audience, my vocabulary didn’t improve, but I learned a lot about life. Luckily, I took notes in the form of Twitter missives. For example: Life is not about spelling…
The journal Iraq, published by the British School of Archaeology in Iraq recently printed an academic article about Assyrian music that I wrote. The citation is: Cheng, Jack, “The Horizontal Forearm Harp: Assyria’s National Instrument,” Iraq 74, 2012, p. 75-87. Here’s the abstract: A horizontal harp, strung with 7 to 9 strings and usually decorated…
My latest post for The Public Humanist begins like this: I was a Creon until I realized that it put me against Antigone. Now I’m not so sure. Last week, listening to public radio, I heard about the protests against the burial of Tamerlan Tsarnaev. I nodded in agreement as various voices denounced the alleged…
Here’s my latest publication, for the Boston Globe Magazine’s Connections column. It’s about the birds and the bees and what that phrase helps explain about sexuality (spoiler: it explains nothing).
I’m an accidental coach. I thought I would sign up to assistant coach my son’s 4th grade soccer team but with limited parent volunteers, I got “promoted” to head coach of the Bears. As it turned out, some other parents stepped in to help out and I’m enjoying it. One of the other father’s even…
Jack Cheng, PhD 