Kurt Mason
Bio
Teacher • Writer • Reader
Stories (72/0)
The Office
Wit, charm, and irreverence abound in this mockumentary that took the world by storm. Turning the humdrum of the workplace into a spectacle of enjoyment, “The Office” shines as a message to viewers that the mundane can be magical. Hilarity, hijinks, and heart ensue episode after episode again and again.
By Kurt Mason8 months ago in Critique
- Top Story - August 2023
Egg & SpoonTop Story - August 2023
To say that I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately would be an understatement. For whatever reason, perhaps burnout, stress, or just a general sense of apathy, I haven’t been overly motivated to read (or I simply lose my focus after a few short pages).
By Kurt Mason8 months ago in BookClub
Let the Games Begin
I have been stuck in a reading rut for quite some time. I have had a few books going here and there, but nothing that I could seem to stay focused on. As I was taking inventory of my classroom library, I set aside Suzanne Collins’ book, “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes,” the prequel to her Hunger Games series. I have not read any of the Hunger Games books since they were first released, but every year I use excerpts from the books and various clips from the films in a curriculum unit that I teach about heroic survivalism. I started to read that afternoon after I wrapped up work in my classroom, and I found myself coming out of the reading rut that I had been stuck in for so long.
By Kurt Mason12 months ago in Geeks
Workin' It
Trixie Mattel and Katya Zamolodchikova are back! These hard working women have been pounding the pavement and making their way through the trenches of the professional world in order to bring fans a book dedicated to the ins and outs of the modern workplace. “Working Girls: Trixie and Katya’s Guide to Professional Womanhood,” is a hysterical and poignant take on a workplace self help book that shines with the comedic genius that each of these drag superstars are known for.
By Kurt Mason12 months ago in Pride
Daedalian Escape
Everything seemed so small. Even smaller than what he had prepared himself to expect. He knew that things would look differently from above, but he was still taken aback by how insignificant it all looked. What was once a monstrous prison was nothing more than a smudge on the seascape canvas below him. His freedom did not come without risk, not without a terrible price, but like a bird finally able to escape its cage, the idea of freedom had consumed him. If not for himself, at least for his son.
By Kurt Masonabout a year ago in Fiction
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
The mirror showed a reflection that wasn’t my own. Not really. What stood before me was a grotesque visage, a horrifying specter of what should be. The pallid skin, paper thin and filled with the deep crevices of wrinkles reflecting the unforgiving passing of time, seemed as though it was dripping off the bones. Eyes sunk deep behind the sharp edges of a brow bone, the emerald shimmer long since lost. The thin, patchy wisps of what was once hair the color of spun gold hung limply. A weakened arm raised slowly, as if weighted down by an unbearable burden, mottled skin covered the frail, skeletal hand that pressed against the glass. The mirror had become a constant reminder of the price I had paid. It wasn’t always this painful to look in the mirror. It wasn’t until the ravages of time truly began to sink in that the reflection became more grim.
By Kurt Masonabout a year ago in Fiction
Unlikely Observer
Low-hanging branches whipped Ari’s skin, but he hardly noticed their harsh sting. His legs furiously pumped as he raced his bike down the woodland path. Tears left his sight blurry, but he knew the path like the back of his hand. A sharp turn ahead would have toppled another biker, but Ari leaned into the curve, shifted his weight effortlessly to bank the curve and kept speeding through the trees. A steep dip in the trail, a small wooden footbridge over the stream, and the final push up the embankment brought Ari safely to his sanctuary.
By Kurt Masonabout a year ago in Fiction
Finding the Right Fit
I was excited to dive into this novel from the moment I saw the beautiful cover on the shelf of the bookstore. I had heard good things about it, and I was quick to grab myself a copy. However, as with most things, this got tucked away on my shelf at home as I wrapped up novels that were already in progress and tackled the stress of the holidays. With that being said, I decided to make this my first novel of 2023–and I am so glad that I did.
By Kurt Masonabout a year ago in Families
Let's Get Shopping
To be honest, I am still processing this novel. This was, without a doubt, unlike anything that I have ever read before. When I saw this laying on the counter of the kitchenette at work, I thought that it was some sort of catalog for furniture, but it turned out to be a novel so unique that I couldn’t put it down. The layout, the images, and the overall flow of this novel make the reading experience something quirky and different compared to the countless other novels on the market.
By Kurt Masonabout a year ago in Horror
The Game
I was looking for a quick read that would keep me busy for a couple of days, and I decided to pull “The Game” off of the shelf. This short novel (perhaps novella?) by Linsey Miller was something that I scooped up the last time the local bookstore was having a sale. It looked like a quick, easy read, and it seemed to have all of the ingredients of a good story: mystery, intrigue, young love, adventure, drama–what more could you want? However, after turning the final page, I felt disappointed and a bit let down.
By Kurt Masonabout a year ago in Geeks
The Fate of the Final Girl
With Jamie Lee Curtis taking her final bow as the iconic Laurie Strode in the closure of the long-running Halloween franchise, I decided that it would be a good time to take “Final Girls” by Riley Sager off of the shelf as a tribute to the woman who revolutionized and embodied the essence of strength and resiliency that it takes to be a final girl. Often attributed as the first real example of a final girl, Curtis’ character Laurie Strode was the sole survivor of Michael Myers’ attacks that fateful Halloween night, but Curtis’ character highlighted the emotional, physical, and psychological burden that can come from being a survivor.
By Kurt Masonabout a year ago in Horror
Mental Health Matters
For some, the idea of calling out of work can be an incredibly stressful thing. While employees exist who don’t think twice about taking a day off, there are countless others who work themselves into a frenzy at the prospect of all that comes with calling out of work. The prevalence of burnout in the workplace has risen to a point where it has become a national, perhaps even global, conversation. Employees are working like never before as the long lists of demands and expectations seem to be continually growing. People call out of work for a variety of reasons: vacations, sickness, appointments, emergencies, but the one that seems to have the most stigma is the idea of taking a mental health day. Why? Why are we taught to ignore the warning signs of our health in regards to our mental state?
By Kurt Masonabout a year ago in Journal