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The Downtown Kid

Lessons from the Street

Roaming around the streets of downtown Memphis has taught me so much about life. Being able to hear others' stories, watch people battle their demons and celebrate their triumphs, and just breathe among the diversity has taught me so much about life, and here's where I hope to celebrate and highlight those moments.

  • When it rains…

    Lawdy. Let it stop raining. Please. Memphis can’t catch a break. The rivers are cresting. The roads are falling apart (again). Rain for days on end now. Actual footage and memes galore in tribute. When it rains around here though, Memphis goes sideways. Legit. When it rains here, it gets weird. People lose their minds. They lose their ability to operate motor vehicles, which, admittedly, is only sketchy at best in good weather. (Hint: Stop braking for quite literally no reason whatsoever.) We all get mopey and pissed off. Unless you’re that one guy who’s just gleeful and loves jumping in potholes-turned-swimming-pools, it’s chaos. Rain downtown is a special kind…

  • Thank you, Main…

    Because Main Street Makes You Feel Beautiful Most days, I like who I see in the mirror. I mean, enough anyway. Been working on that self-worth and all. As a woman, though, I’m societally trained to tear myself apart any time I pass a reflective surface. You don’t really mean to, but there you are, trying not to criticize yourself in a passing window. Since I can’t help looking sometimes, I stare at the ground more now. Hence the pennies. So this past weekend, I was standing on Main waiting to cross Union. I’m in front of Gould’s, and there’s a woman a few years younger than I am on…

  • Merry Christmas and Be Good to Each Other

    Merry Christmas, even though it’s something I don’t even really celebrate. My bah-humbug attitude from this morning has been completely displaced by my appreciation for the strength and beauty of humanity. The Orphan Christmas Firstly, thank you Bardog for being open today, for all the employees who gave up time with their families to feed a bunch of us flying solo or those looking to escape tonight. Don’t know that you’ll ever know how thankful we all really are. I got the special tonight. Blackened chicken Alfredo on penne with sautéed mushrooms, and in true Bardog fashion, it was delicious. I couldn’t eat it all and had my leftovers boxed…