Second entry in the Introvert series. You check your phone and see a message pop up. “Hey, sorry… something came up tonight. Can we reschedule?” Before you even finish reading it, something unexpected happens. A small wave of relief washes over you. You type back a polite reply, of course – something like, “No problemContinue reading “The Secret Relief of Cancelled Plans (Introverts Know This Feeling)”
Author Archives: John Berkovich
The Two-Hour Social Window Is An Introvert’s Secret Clock
Most introverts (like me) know something about themselves that they rarely say out loud. If they attend a social gathering, they’ll probably enjoy it. But after about two hours – three, max, they’ll likely be ready to go home. Not because the evening was bad or because the people weren’t pleasant. But because somewhere inside,Continue reading “The Two-Hour Social Window Is An Introvert’s Secret Clock”
Finding Warmth in Gulf Shores
The next entry in my occasional travel series of places I’ve been to. If you grow up in northern latitudes, winter vacations usually point in a few directions: the Caribbean, Florida, Arizona, maybe Texas, or Hawaii. But twice now, I’ve flown toward a different stretch of coastline – Gulf Shores, Alabama – and both timesContinue reading “Finding Warmth in Gulf Shores”
The Madness of March Weather
If you live in Canada, the northern half of the United States, or large parts of Europe and northern Asia, you know exactly what I’m talking about. March, like May, is the month that simply refuses to make up its mind. One day the sun comes out, half the snowbanks melt, and you start thinking,Continue reading “The Madness of March Weather”
Walking Gettysburg: Where the Ground Still Feels Heavy
The next entry in my occasional travel series of places I’ve been to. Visiting Gettysburg National Military Park isn’t like touring a museum. There are no glass cases separating you from the past. You walk on it. You stand where it happened. You feel the scale of it under an open sky that looks farContinue reading “Walking Gettysburg: Where the Ground Still Feels Heavy”
The Rise and Fall of Bumble Bee, Arizona
The next entry in my occasional travel series of places I’ve been to. You don’t just stumble into Bumble Bee, Arizona. You drive toward it. The desert opens wide around you, saguaros standing like sentries, the sky stretching endlessly in that particular Arizona blue that feels almost exaggerated. The road narrows, the terrain rolls gently,Continue reading “The Rise and Fall of Bumble Bee, Arizona”
The Only Thing More Predictable Than Changing the Clocks is the Complaints About It
This past weekend, the clocks moved ahead for Daylight Saving Time in about one-third of the world, and right on cue, the annual chorus began. People complain about losing an hour of sleep. They complain that it messes with their body clock. They wonder aloud why we still bother with this system in the firstContinue reading “The Only Thing More Predictable Than Changing the Clocks is the Complaints About It”
The Quiet Road Where Bonnie and Clyde Died
The next entry in my occasional travel series of places I’ve been to. Some places don’t look like history. Instead, they look like nothing. A rural road with trees leaning lazily over the shoulder while a gentle breeze blows. But so does silence. And yet you stand there knowing something violent once tore the airContinue reading “The Quiet Road Where Bonnie and Clyde Died”
When Your Instinct Says Step Back
There’s a difference between someone who talks too much and someone who sets off alarms. The former drains you while the latter tightens something in your chest and has your Spidey-sense tingling. A lady a few years older than me walked into the hangout mid-Friday afternoon. I was taking the afternoon off for the longContinue reading “When Your Instinct Says Step Back”
When the Identity (Almost) Breaks
About a year after I was downsized – still deep in the heart of COVID, with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders unless necessary – I took a job delivering refurbished goods to surplus stores. Sales and delivery. Boxes in the back of a truck. Routes. Invoices. Inventory. On paper, it was practical. Income is income. PrideContinue reading “When the Identity (Almost) Breaks”
