Katie Bertola

American merit monger

Growing up in modern American evangelicalism, I have my fair share of cringey memories. Like the time I wore my smug t-shirt that cleverly disguised the name “Jesus” as the Reese’s logo. Or the time I was the only kid in my religion class who knew what the word “incarnation” meant, and all the kidsContinue reading “American merit monger”

best and worst film adaptations

When my husband took us to see Toy Story 5, we sat through twenty minutes of trailers before the movie. I actually like the trailer portion of the theater experience, because it’s fun to see what’s coming up next and to get a peek inside what marketing executives think people in our demographic (families withContinue reading “best and worst film adaptations”

Toy Story 5 Didn’t Need Woody

We all love Tom Hanks, and Woody has been the central character of each Toy Story installment thus far. But this is Toy Story 5 we’re talking about. We are long past the need for integrity. I actually loved Toy Story 5. I laughed and I cried. I loved Jessie’s arc, and the new additionsContinue reading “Toy Story 5 Didn’t Need Woody”

Proverbs 31 isn’t about a boss babe

Is she thin and petite, delicate and fairy-like? Is she a tall drink of water, elegantly gliding down the runway? Is she curvy and voluptuous, rounded in all the correct ways? Is she strong and athletic, sculptural and powerful? We can’t decide what the ideal woman should look like. I’m a millennial, and can rememberContinue reading “Proverbs 31 isn’t about a boss babe”

Calvinist stan

In 2015, I told my husband that I was officially joining the Buffalo Bills fanbase, otherwise known as Bills Mafia. He knew what I was in for, having been born in Western New York, and warned me, “They’ll break your heart.” But that’s the cost of being a fan of literally anything. Once you decideContinue reading “Calvinist stan”

My hot take on Holden Caulfield

My husband is the least pretentious person I know. He likes what he likes, and would never fake it for appearances. It’s part of what makes him so fun to be around. One of the things he would never fake is his contempt for literature. He has no patience for stream-of-consciousness, obscure poetic devices, torturedContinue reading “My hot take on Holden Caulfield”

Fundie

I recently listened to the podcast, “The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling,” which explored not only the author’s journey from beloved to blacklisted, but also the psychology behind fundamentalism, and yes, witch hunts.* Fundamentalism is classically defined as a strict belief in the literal interpretation of Scripture, but it has been applied to mean strictContinue reading “Fundie”

A gift

I had a speech prepared. Short and sweet. Something I could rattle off before they shoved me out of the house and back into the street. My hands were sweating as I clutched the cool vessel against my heart. As I made my way down the street, I almost turned back a hundred times. EachContinue reading “A gift”

Sent

The mud was stiff and dry on my skin, and I was shaking as I knelt by the side of the pool. I reached down till I felt the water, then cupped my hands, gathered some in my palms, and splashed my face. It was quiet all around me. I was glad nobody else wasContinue reading “Sent”

A riddle

I’ve never heard that one before. He’s not the first philosopher to come through town. They’ve all got something new to say, or so they claim. But credit where credit is due. That’s a new one. God will do good to those who do good to Him. He will enrich those who are rich towardContinue reading “A riddle”