Archive - Matt Conner

Skyline of downtown Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Thank you, Nashville

When we set sail for Nashville (a poor analogy for a landlocked move) three-and-a-half years ago, I was mostly excited for the to-do list. Sure, we had friends on the ground, but after years of living in a small post-industrial town 20-plus miles north of Indianapolis, I was ready to…

We Need to Talk

I’m somewhat familiar with the feeling, but I’ve never made the decision. There was a period in my mid-twenties when I felt completely undone. I’d hit rock bottom all on my own, an embarrassing and overwhelming string of poor decisions resulting from, what was then, my complete lack of character,…

For a friend’s passing

I can’t remember if it was the first time I was annoyed by Vince Stults, but it was certainly one of the earliest such moments. Vince and I sat at the sort of table deemed picturesque if it sat on a cobblestone street under a cafe’s awning. Instead, it was…

Toward Our Better Selves: An Invitation from Prince

He only needed one name. For a stretch, he only needed a symbol. I fell in love with Prince at the earliest possible age. As a child of the ’80s, Prince was among the first artists who earned my attention, my devotion, my money. I was too young to accept…

Everything is Magic ‘Til You Think It’s Not

“As kids we believed that the angels talked; Everything is magic until you think it’s not.” -Cloud Cult, “No Hell” I sat across from my friend and nodded again and again. “I get it,” I said. “No, that makes sense,” I added. “No need to apologize,” I repeated. When you’re…