From the department of navel-gazing, Friday marked the one-year anniversary of Tropical Depression!
To celebrate, here’s a look back at some highlights. I doubt I am the best judge of my own work, but a couple of Tropical Depression readers asked me to do a post picking my top ten favorite posts, and this is a nice way to share some older work with newer readers (plenty more in the archives!).
As always, if you like what you’re reading, would very much appreciate if you shared with others who might dig it.
Not going to rank these, but here are my ten favorite, in chronological order from oldest to newest. Click the link and check them out if you missed them on the first go-around… And let me know if y’all agree or if I skipped one that you liked!
December 17, 2022
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
On Cash and CoeMaybe I’m nostalgic because this was my first full essay on TD, but this one is still a favorite. On a David Allan Coe song, the cover by Johnny Cash, Lucifer, a diminutive angel in hospital scrubs, Letcher County feuds, fallen angels and the demons that remain, stage magic, and so on. Featuring (2) jaguars, one (1) ostrich, and one (1) camel. I came up with the basic concept for this essay with a few tweets in 2014, when the Cash version was first released. Someone responded, “I’d read a whole blog post analyzing these two interpretations of that song,” so nine years later, I did it.
January 20, 2023
Children’s Book Reviews, Vol. 1: Amos & Boris by William Steig
On the greatest children’s book of all time. And some thoughts on déjà vu, daddyhood, friendship, organic-orgasmic energy, memory, and talking animals like us.
January 27, 2023
While I’m not trying to rank these in general, I think this is my best post of the year.
February 3, 2023
On the transmigration of souls
And this is my second favorite, I think.
February 8, 2023
Children’s Book Reviews, Vol. 2: Horsey Up and Down
On the worst children’s book of all time, plus my usual hobbyhorses: consciousness, the minds of babies, etc.
March 2, 2023
A psalm of sorts—for me, my dad, my daughter, and you.
March 19, 2023
#7: Townes Van Zandt, “Heavenly Houseboat Blues”
Townes, notions of hell, notions of heaven, houseboats, boredom, last words, the sun, and partying.
March 24
I wrote about some favorite paintings, which turned out to be a very satisfying thing to do.
April 12, 2023
After picking the other nine, I had trouble settling on the tenth slot. There are a few others that feel a little more crackling or meaty, but this is a favorite of my wife’s and the writing process for it is a fond memory: Pulled it off one afternoon when I was home with my son, who was sick with hand, foot, and mouth disease.
Aug 1
#13: Jerry Lee Lewis, “What Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me)”
On the country side of Jerry Lee, his cousin Jimmy Swaggart, eternal damnation, and country music.
Well, ha, predictably there’s another handful it’s hard to leave off, but this already self-indulgent post will reach new lows if I have an honorable mention list.
Enjoy the hits if you want, and thank you as always for reading. One year down.