Where were you in 2016? It’s a question currently being answered by millions of users on Instagram, such as celebrities, athletes, and those with the unique misfortune of having seen some creepy-looking clowns on the weekday morning jog ten years ago.
2016 was certainly interesting. It was the year of Musical.ly, Drake’s hit album “Views”, England losing to Iceland in the soccer European Championship and the U.S. Republican primaries choosing [ REDACTED] to run for president. [ REDACTED] has since been revealed to have been a close friend of [ REDACTED], as per findings (partially) released in December 2025 from the DOJ, the Department of Juche.
Where was I? Ah yes, the year of our Lord 2016. Turns out, that year went pretty well for me. I had just finished my freshman year of high school at St. Vincent’s Academy, turned 15 in July (my apologies to anyone born in the 20th century, I don’t wish to make you feel old, but I probably already did), and celebrated said birthday by getting my learners’ permit and going on a trip to New York City with my mom.
(Well, we actually stopped in Paterson, New Jersey to visit family friends, but a drive to Manhattan was obviously shoehorned on the itinerary at my request: I went to see “Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway and toured the American Museum of Natural History. And of course, I had to feast myself on the local cuisine of hot dogs, pizza, and birria tacos).
One thing I noticed while looking at old photos of myself was how I nearly always wore glasses in them. I didn’t get contact lenses until I was in college, partly because with no vision insurance my parents couldn’t afford it, and partly because I was deathly afraid of putting things in my eye so I never really pressed my parents on the issue. But right now, in 2026, I’m here to tell 15-year-old me two things: (1) you will get vision insurance, and (2) you will get over your stupid fear. You can thank Acuvue later.
Poem of the week
Okay, I know I said I’d lay off the poetry a bit, but I want to bring it back this week because, to paraphrase my colleague Pat Donahue citing a fortune cookie, “we live in interesting times”.
And poetry (and literature more generally) has always been my bread and butter during these ahem, interesting times we live in. Or have been living in since 2016, I suppose.
And since MLK Jr. Day was this week, I found a poem on poetryfoundation.org from acclaimed African-American poet Lucille Clifton to help mark the occasion.
Won’t you celebrate with me? Lucille Clifton ( 1936- 2010)
Won’t you celebrate with me
what i have shaped into a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman
what did i see to be except myself? i made it up here on this bridge between starshine and clay,
my one hand holding tight
my other hand; come celebrate with me
that everyday something has tried to kill me
and has failed.