After several years of writing here at patrickhiggy.com, I’ve decided to take my writing somewhere new—somewhere it can stretch its legs, breathe a little deeper, and maybe find a few more kindred spirits along the way. I’m not shutting this site down. I’ll keep it live as an archive for the work that’s already here.…
Not everyone is blessed (or cursed) with an ear attuned to Geddy Lee’s singular wail. One of my ex-wives once told me she turned on the radio, heard what she thought was a dying cat, and only realized a few moments later that it was Rush. And yet, here I am—lifelong fan—proudly curating Muzzled Rush:…
Some people train for a 5K with a structured plan, tracking splits and heart rate zones. I’m not saying I don’t try that. But I’ve taken it a step further—I train with an Australian Shepherd who thinks every run is an Olympic event, a parkour course, and a meet-and-greet all rolled into one. Because I…
The term “unalive,” while used since 1828, has evolved into a vague euphemism that undermines language clarity and seriousness. Its modern application as a verb often circumvents content moderation and promotes linguistic laziness. Meaningful communication relies on precise language, essential for discussing life’s gravitas, especially in challenging contexts like death and grief.
Did you know there are over 43 quintillion permutations of 3x3x3 Rubik’s Cube? That’s 43 followed by eighteen zeroes. 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 to be more precise. For most of us, that’s a number we can’t even comprehend, so let me put some perspective on it. If you had one of these at the Big Bang (13 billion…
I don’t know why I suddenly wanted to re-watch the body-swap comedy Vice Versa (1988) except to say that I felt unreasonably nostalgic. If someone can give me anything with a more provocative flavor than nostalgia, I’d be much obliged. I remember when it was first released, and I know I liked it well enough…
What follows is the speech I gave at an old Army friend’s wedding in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in November of this year. I’ve known Don for twenty-two years. My earliest memories of him are from Ft. Huachuca wherein I thought, “Who’s that old guy running in our group?” [aside: he’s only five years my elder].…
We all remember our first loves, right? When it comes to music, my first love was grunge. My parents exposed me to great music: southern rock, classic rock, and 80s country for the most part. My older brothers—between four and eight years my elders—turned me on to heavy metal and hip-hop. On any given day…
Contemporary folk music seems to be right at home here at the Hangover Cafe and Gregory Alan Isakov’s “The Stable Song” is no exception. Naturally. As with most of the songs I’ve selected for this column, this song’s lyrics are introspective and poetic. I also contend that the vocals can evoke an emotional response from…