Writer, Editor, and Rabbit Enthusiast
Hello and welcome! My name is Michael Z. Zaki.
I have been writing for the internet for over a decade. I write about culture, mental health, philosophy, media, and of course, rabbits.
Generating understanding, curiosity, and reflection is the center of my non-fiction writing. I write to convey information in a way that is natural, feels comfortable, and tells the story in an impactful way.
Helping people feel less alone or to understand new perspectives is one of the most rewarding parts of my writing. The greatest compliments I have received have been to the effect of: "You articulated something I couldn't find words for," or "Your writing helped me understand something important".
I believe that storytelling is a cornerstone of culture. The stories we tell about ourselves, our culture, and other cultures have such a deep impact on how people live their lives. We all tell stories, and to me, it is an honor to tell stories for others to read.
I hope you enjoy exploring my work here, and I would love to hear from you!
Say hello at: michael@michaelzzaki.com
Recent Posts
June Newsletter from Michael Z
It’s been two years since I started doing this newsletter monthly!
Phones, Dopamine, and the Sin Narrative of Addiction
Dopamine: the latest sin.
May Newsletter from Michael Z
Less injured and getting my wedding guest outfits ready...
April Newsletter from Michael Z
Full spring!
March Newsletter from Michael Z
Oof, March has been rough! I have been injured the entire time. I started feeling injured mid-February, so it’s felt like forever.
February Newsletter from Michael Z
It’s been a good month. Short and sweet. I remember feeling much more positive than negative, despite any challenges and, you know, ever reading the news. I felt gentle and calm this month—it was full of the stillness of winter, but without the loneliness, and that’s what I want in a February.
January Newsletter from Michael Z
New Year, New Me but by accident
December Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy New Year's Eve!
November Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy last taste of autumn! It’s getting colder here in the Pacific Northwest, and back on the east coast it has, apparently, already snowed. It’s been a semi-eventful month.
October Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy Halloween! Or, the last day of Halloween, if like me, that’s how you celebrate.
September Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy Autumn!!
August Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy almost fall!August is a strange month, and this one passed at a very confusing rate. It felt so short, but events from the beginning of the month feel so far away.
The Narrative of Real Life
Recently, I’ve wondered how to continue to engage with my life as a narrative in a healthier way.
Giving "the classics" another chance
It took multiple months, but I finished Anna Karenina last January.I read at least four books simultaneously. Primarily I read it before sleep, and it felt like a dream about 1800s Russia, which I knew nothing about. My primary surprise about it was how funny and relatable it was.
July Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy almost August! It’s been an enjoyable summer for me. Mainly because I have a window AC in the main part of my apartment this year. I’ve noticed when I have air conditioning at home, I have a great summer because I can hide and pretend it’s not hot.
June (and Pride Month!) Newsletter from Michael Z
Happy Pride Month!
Reading I Who Have Never Known Men
I recently read I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman (1995, for context). I’m going to describe the plot overall and in some detail, so I’ll say don’t read this if you don’t want spoilers. I do recommend the book—it was interesting and a very fast read, due to being both short and written in a way that made the pages fly by. I think that’s impressive, because there is a lot of interiority which often makes a book slower paced. It has a really sad premise, though, so check out content...
May Newsletter from Michael Z
May has been pleasant, though I can’t remember why. Something about the word, and the weather. It’s been a very social and busy month, which is fantastic, because after my last newsletter I promptly got sick and was isolating for two weeks.
April Newsletter from Michael Z
My second ever newsletter was about Springtime and how excited I was about it. Living in the Pacific Northwest has been a perfect climate for me.
March Newsletter from Michael Z
It’s March! I have committed to it being spring. It hasn’t actually been warm most days, but it has still felt springy. Some flowers are blooming, and a lot of birds are back. They are demanding bird seed, which is fair since we have a bird feeder.I started feeding crows this week too, and it’s amazing.
When I lived by the lake
For three years, I lived in a house with friends a few blocks from a huge lake. I could see the lake from huge living room windows, and it was beautiful. Because the lake was at the bottom of a hill, and my house was at the top, I did not go down to the water very often. It was often painful to hike back up, and I am an anxious person who often tries to over-conserve energy on top of what I actually need to conserve.The whole time, I kept thinking I would regret not taking more advantage of how...
Communicating better about housekeeping
As a person who enjoys clutter, hates dirt, was barely raised, enjoys cleaning, and has sometimes severe fatigue and pain that limit my ability to do any of the things I want to be doing, I have had a hard time communicating with housemates about cleaning and tidiness. I have also seen friends go through the same thing—not able to communicate effectively with the people they live with, feeling frustrated, misunderstood, and unhappy at home.I think part of why this happens is that there is usuall...
Michael Z's February Newsletter
I hope you’re having a good mid-late winter! I am almost keeping up with my goal to have small social gatherings each month.
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