NLJ Anecdotes

I ordinarily terminate houseflies with homemade fly spray. But on October 5, 2026, I saw one unexpectedly trying to leave my home. This is the story of win-win heroism.

On September 16, 2026, I rescued a ladybug that had found itself lost in my room. Nine days later, I faced a bigger bug in need of rescue, and rose to the challenge.

I question a claim about the state of Union Street in Gowanus, Brooklyn, based on my long history of having walked there going back to the 2000s.

I celebrate the Nintendo 64’s 30th anniversary with a selection of my own late-90s N64 memories.

A 2026 story of a snake in a football helment in Arkansas reminded me of that time in 1995 when an earthworm found its way into my shoe.

Reporting on a free air conditioner with note seen in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn.

At the request of (or under orders from) a friend, I documented a broken park bench in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Back in December I shared my in-season gingerbread man soap dispenser. In July, I share the story of his second full re-fill.

After reading that pumpernickel bagels are becoming endangered, I set out to buy, photograph, eat, and write about one to support a tasty cause.

An article about an outgoing Baidu employee replacing himself with a chatbot reminded me of the time I replaced myself with a classmate in math class. What follows is an anecdote about humanity. Is there a lesson here? I leave that to the readers to decide.

Back in 2021 I documented a well-painted banana bench in Brooklyn. Five years later, the bench looks a bit worse for wear.

I share the story of that one time I briefly proctored a high school exam while I myself was a high school student.