The schtickless wonder!

When a project is about anything and everything, it's also about nothing — and who'd want to read that?

Nov 10, 2025

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11 min read

Writing

Super Fun Pak Mini Essays!

Four short, sharp takes — plus a special appearance by a guest poet.

Nov 6, 2025

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9 min read

There are things you will never understand

But you can still use your stupid brain to try!

Nov 3, 2025

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11 min read

Notes on a very Trying! year

Hundreds of thousands of words later, what's to become of this newsletter?

Oct 31, 2025

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7 min read

Writing

Travel

Squawk, memory!

My recollection of the past is crisp but scattered. Will a pile of ancient photos make sense of it all?

Sep 12, 2025

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10 min read

Violence

If I had a gun

A deadly serious thought experiment.

Jul 29, 2025

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10 min read

Subscribe to Trying! already!

These are good

So you should read them

I'm driving me crazy!

My brain makes it hard to live in the moment, but there's one place I've found I can truly be present: the highway.

Sep 3, 2025

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7 min read

Travel

The best songs called 'Sisyphus,' ranked

The original rock-and-roller has inspired dozens of tunes, but which are worth listening to?

Aug 25, 2025

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15 min read

The word we can't say but need to scream

It's vulgar. It's offensive. But it's the only term that truly describes our moment.

Aug 26, 2025

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11 min read

Language

A cheese sandwich for the children

We're all antisemites now — even you, even me.

Aug 8, 2025

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18 min read

Unpopular Culture

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Fashion!

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Why I wear women's clothing

I'm not a lumberjack, but I'm okay.

Jul 14, 2025

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11 min read

I like striped shirts and I cannot lie

Certain patterns catch the eye and trap the brain in ways no other brother can deny.

May 22, 2025

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10 min read

Food Food Food Doof Food

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Latest Attempts

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Cartoons are better than people

For me, live-action movies and TV will always be secondary.

Oct 29, 2025

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14 min read

Matt Gross

Thomas Pynchon and me

His writing shaped my life, and he's now at a literary and cultural apex. But is the mysterious postmodernist's work still any good?

Oct 23, 2025

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18 min read

Matt Gross

An idle waste of your precious time

Don't worry, death isn't coming for you quite yet.

Oct 14, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

When the enemy is boring AF

Yawning reflections of a radical left Democrat.

Oct 3, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

This is not a travel story

I built my career on artful narratives of adventure. But was I lying to my readers — and to myself?

Oct 2, 2025

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14 min read

Matt Gross

I spy with my little eye

Does "When in doubt, cut it out" apply to body parts? Asking for, uh, a friend.

Sep 19, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

I ate a bad sandwich

And it taught me the meaning of life.

Sep 16, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

Squawk, memory!

My recollection of the past is crisp but scattered. Will a pile of ancient photos make sense of it all?

Sep 12, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

I am still upset about the aurochs

The wild ancestor of today's cattle went extinct in 1627. But, uh, like, what if it didn't?

Sep 5, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

I'm driving me crazy!

My brain makes it hard to live in the moment, but there's one place I've found I can truly be present: the highway.

Sep 3, 2025

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7 min read

Matt Gross

The word we can't say but need to scream

It's vulgar. It's offensive. But it's the only term that truly describes our moment.

Aug 26, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

The best songs called 'Sisyphus,' ranked

The original rock-and-roller has inspired dozens of tunes, but which are worth listening to?

Aug 25, 2025

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15 min read

Matt Gross

These things are all terrible! 🤪

I've been saving up some choice complaints — just for you, dear reader.

Aug 14, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

And another thing!

Why it's so impossible to talk about the subjects that matter.

Aug 11, 2025

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8 min read

Matt Gross

A cheese sandwich for the children

We're all antisemites now — even you, even me.

Aug 8, 2025

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18 min read

Matt Gross

Leaves of Gross

'I hate poetry,' I used to say, half joking and half serious. But which half was which?

Aug 6, 2025

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13 min read

Matt Gross

How do you catastrophize?

The end is nigh, dude, but is that any reason to freak out?

Aug 5, 2025

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7 min read

Matt Gross

If I had a gun

A deadly serious thought experiment.

Jul 29, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

Gimme, gimme, gimme

What do you get for the man who has everything?

Jul 28, 2025

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6 min read

Matt Gross

Seen one Taj, seen Mahal

How one terrible book of puns opened my eyes to the potential of language.

Jul 24, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

Memories of Bon Appétit, 2012–2014

What I learned (or didn't) at Condé Nast.

Jul 17, 2025

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23 min read

Matt Gross

Why I wear women's clothing

I'm not a lumberjack, but I'm okay.

Jul 14, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

Sludge or slop? It's your choice!

Just kidding: You don't have a say in the matter.

Jul 3, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

Pride is nothing compared with shame

An argument for the most uncomfortable emotion.

Jul 1, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

What 10 miles means

I keep running in search of an answer. I might even find it.

Jun 24, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

The restaurant that made me

A single visit 25 years ago clarified my approach to food.

Jun 19, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

I know why the blue jay screams

You ever tap on the glass of the gorilla enclosure at the zoo? Yeah, it's a little like that.

Jun 17, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

Violence is always an option

I've always thought of it as a last resort—but how do we know when we've reached the end? And honestly, why wait?

Jun 12, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

I can solve the Cuomo problem

Just give me 5 minutes with the former governor.

Jun 10, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

I've been running for 26 years now

Here's what I wish I knew... let's say... 6 years ago? Sure, 6 years ago.

Jun 5, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

Sufferin' succotash!

Some people think humanity deserves extinction. I think we've earned a fate worse than death.

Jun 3, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

Q was the question she asked

In the mid-1990s, Phuong Anh Nguyen made Q Bar the most important bar in Vietnam—and possibly the world.

May 29, 2025

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18 min read

Matt Gross

I just can't watch Stanley Tucci go to Italy

Celebrity travel shows are the worst, even when you love the celebrity. But they don't have to be bad!

May 28, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

We all have a place on the Wheel of Fate

A Q&A with 'Andor' writer Tom Bissell on narrative structure, quick deaths, and getting T-boned by Star Wars history.

May 27, 2025

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24 min read

Matt Gross

We all have a place on the Wheel of Fate

I like striped shirts and I cannot lie

Certain patterns catch the eye and trap the brain in ways no other brother can deny.

May 22, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

You don’t need heirloom tomatoes

A Tuesday special: Five mini-essays in one newsletter!

May 20, 2025

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7 min read

Matt Gross

Please don't call this a blog

What am I even trying to do here?

May 13, 2025

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8 min read

Matt Gross

Is reality a rhetorical question?

It takes a leap of faith to connect language and experience—and sometimes we land in the abyss.

May 8, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

I went to a concert

This musician not only changed my life—she defined it.

May 6, 2025

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15 min read

Matt Gross

The emperor has no pose

Fascist autocracies are bad enough, and the worst have no ambition but eternal control.

May 5, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

Well, I do declare!

I've always fought for my own independence, but is that just a romantic myth?

May 2, 2025

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8 min read

Matt Gross

50 years ago, my fate was sealed

How the end of the Vietnam War set the course of my life.

Apr 30, 2025

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8 min read

Matt Gross

The internet is tits

Can't believe I'm saying this, but: Don't show me your ( . 人 . )

Apr 29, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

What's the best way to explore a city?

As a travel writer and a New Yorker, I'm supposed to say "on foot." I'm starting to think that's wrong.

Apr 24, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

They want to make you angry

I think you know precisely who I mean. Well, here's how to take their power away—and claim it for yourself.

Apr 22, 2025

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7 min read

Matt Gross

I just solved college admissions

It's called: Bring back the draft! (No, not the way you think.)

Apr 17, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

Do we still need superheroes?

Tales of the ultra-powerful may have run their course, leaving us to confront the challenge of surviving a multiverse we cannot transcend.

Apr 14, 2025

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15 min read

Matt Gross

Greed is not good

Avarice is at the root of today's evils—can we find a way out?

Apr 10, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

How I traveled 20 years ago

Please enjoy this email I sent to everyone, written on a flight to Hong Kong, back in 2005.

Apr 7, 2025

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5 min read

Matt Gross

Under my thumbnail

How I escaped from AI imagery, discovered public domain art, and rebelled against the tyranny of the 1200x630 image.

Apr 3, 2025

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14 min read

Matt Gross

Dry chicken breasts are a myth

Trigger warning: I am about to use the word "spatchcock."

Apr 2, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

I been everywhere, man. Now what?

My travel bucket list is pretty much complete. But there's still a ton left to do.

Mar 31, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

All About 'All About Lily Chou-Chou'

This Japanese movie from 2001 virtually vanished after its release, but now, finally, it's connecting with a brand-new audience.

Mar 27, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

Why did you steal my book, Mark Zuckerberg?

Come on, it was 50% off on Amazon! You didn't have $10.50?

Mar 26, 2025

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8 min read

Matt Gross

Why did you steal my book, Mark Zuckerberg?

Is 'Daredevil: Born Again' the only TV show really taking on the Trump era?

Unless you're a dork like me, you're probably not watching it.

Mar 24, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

Is 'Daredevil: Born Again' the only TV show really taking on the Trump era?

The most important travel story ever

In which our hero, a Brooklyn dad, finds himself alone in New York City, free to do whatever he wishes. But what is that, exactly?

Mar 20, 2025

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16 min read

Matt Gross

Your morning constitutional: crisis edition

A found poem for dark times.

Mar 19, 2025

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2 min read

Matt Gross

Your morning constitutional: crisis edition

A lifetime of bad hair days

We must imagine Sisyphus with luxuriant, flowing locks.

Mar 17, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

You don't need conspiracy theories

The truth is NOT out there.

Mar 13, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

Not gonna make friends with this one

I am so, so angry about Mahmoud Khalil.

Mar 11, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

A lament for Skype

A symbol of the 21st century's golden age of travel is going away, and I have some thoughts (and feelings)!

Mar 10, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

Never Become a Travel Expert

A milestone family trip to Key West reminded me of the pitfalls—and, fine, rewards—of my profession.

Mar 6, 2025

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15 min read

Matt Gross

What Is Going On in the World?

I got no idea, but these folks do.

Feb 27, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

We All Need to Quit AI Right Now

Because it's bad: for the earth, for society, and for our very ability to think critically.

Feb 24, 2025

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14 min read

Matt Gross

Daddy Issues

When father figures failed me, who would I turn to?

Feb 14, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

You Should've Voted for Trump

A little speculation that may—or may not!—make you feel better about 2025.

Feb 13, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

'Fuck America'

A celebrated German novelist wrote a great book—that no one wants to admit exists.

Feb 10, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

How to Write a Trying! Essay

The secret recipe for literary genius—revealed at last after 100 emails!

Feb 8, 2025

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13 min read

Matt Gross

The Sex Robot Murder Comedy

On falling in love with a tossed-off phrase, and what that says about writing—my own and everyone else's.

Feb 7, 2025

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7 min read

Matt Gross

In Praise of Worst Practices

Enough with optimization! It's time to embrace creative freedom, un-train our brains—and accept the consequences.

Feb 6, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

What Is the Best Pokémon and Why?

If you gotta catch them all, you might as well catch No. 1. But what do we mean by "the best" anyway?

Feb 5, 2025

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8 min read

Matt Gross

Men Suck

Turns out women don't like unequal marriages and sexual assault. Crazy, huh? My solution: Let's redefine masculinity out of existence.

Feb 3, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

How to Be Alone With Your Thoughts

We all want to escape from the spiral of short-form videos and doomscrolling. But goddamn is it tough! Luckily, I've got some hard-won advice.

Feb 2, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

The Scheme for Full Employment

A closer look at the Beehiiv newsletter economy, and all of our roles within it.

Feb 1, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

How Often Do You Think About Ancient Greece?

It's not as sexy or as obvious as the Roman Empire, but the Hellenic world is a stealth influence on today—one that's rearing its alien head with new frequency.

Jan 31, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

How Often Do You Think About Ancient Greece?

The Importance of Being an Earnest Cynic

Sarcasm, irony, and pessimism are easy—too easy for this difficult moment. But what else is there?

Jan 30, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

The Importance of Being an Earnest Cynic

Diners Were the Cradle of American Identity. Not Anymore.

Once they brought "ethnic" cuisines together on a single menu. Now they're frozen in time. What happened, and can they be revived?

Jan 29, 2025

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8 min read

Matt Gross

Diners Were the Cradle of American Identity. Not Anymore.

The Recipe for a Great Recipe Is Not a Recipe

For me, learning to cook meant learning to freestyle. Now, when I come face-to-face with precise instructions for a dish, the results aren't always pretty.

Jan 28, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

The Recipe for a Great Recipe Is Not a Recipe

How to Handle a Tourist Tsunami

As of 2024, the world is back to pre-pandemic levels of international travel—and not everyone is happy about it. What to do?

Jan 27, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

When Will We Ever Learn?

I've been searching for capitalism's "opt out" button, to no avail. Can someone show me where it's located?

Jan 26, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

Introducing the Trying! Awards

Nominations for the 2025 edition are now open! Plus: Random travel advice.

Jan 25, 2025

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4 min read

Matt Gross

I Wish I Were Angrier

You'd think the events of the past week would send me into a rage, but they haven't. So where do I—we—go from here?

Jan 24, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

Rewind, Kind Be

What does it mean when we consume culture—movies, TV, books—out of sequence?

Jan 23, 2025

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8 min read

Matt Gross

Hate Cars, Love Driving

They're so, so bad for the planet. But so, so wonderful for me! Is that hypocrisy or just a delightful philosophical conundrum?

Jan 22, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

Bloody and Awesome: A Profile of Adam Gidwitz

The children's book author, known for his dark and hilarious tales, is focused on the 'harder questions' of growing up.

Jan 21, 2025

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25 min read

Matt Gross

Dear Mr. President, It’s OK to Quit

Even if you've just started! I know because I did it, too.

Jan 20, 2025

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6 min read

Matt Gross

It Is So, So Hard to Get Over Yourself

On failing to live up to my own expectations.

Jan 19, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

Am I Just a Model of Myself?

This one's got it all: artificial intelligence, classical music, congestion pricing.

Jan 18, 2025

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6 min read

Matt Gross

'Y.M.C.A.' Is a Gay Anthem

Come see Roland Barthes battle the Village People in a knock-down, drag-out brawl!

Jan 17, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

Technology Will Save Us All!

No, seriously, it could—if a couple of innovations actually work out.

Jan 16, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

That's So Brooklyn

I never expected anything but an itinerant life. So how did I wind up with an honest-to-god community?

Jan 15, 2025

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12 min read

Matt Gross

Spoiler Alert: Ending Explained

I'm addicted to finales—in life as well as art.

Jan 14, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

I Will Get Through This by Folding Laundry

Meanwhile, the Second Law of Thermodynamics can go to hell.

Jan 13, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

I Will Get Through This by Folding Laundry

Dear Mark Zuckerberg: My Friend Died

I miss her, and I miss all the people Facebook connected me with—and then cut us off from one another.

Jan 12, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

Make Hollywood Weird Again

I'm sick of boring professionalism!

Jan 11, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

A Mind Is a Beautiful Thing to Waste

The way we think about synesthesia and the afterlife is bullshit.

Jan 10, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

I Dream of Spain. Or, Well, I Used To.

In our brains, countries come and go. Is that just travel propaganda at work?

Jan 9, 2025

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15 min read

Matt Gross

Let's Kill All the Billionaires

Is my tongue in my cheek? Well, at least it's not licking the balls of some fascist.

Jan 8, 2025

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10 min read

Matt Gross

I Believe in Luck

I'm not much for faith, but this explanation—that there is no explanation—makes sense to me.

Jan 7, 2025

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11 min read

Matt Gross

Am I Too Picky?

Well, yes, obviously. Duh. But how picky is too picky?

Jan 6, 2025

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9 min read

Matt Gross

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Funny, weird, thought-provoking, and occasionally insightful essays and reportage, brought to you almost daily, by Matt Gross