The Irony
I stand in a museum in Gettysburg. As I enter the room called, “The Gettysburg Address,” I feel more solemn than I expect. A simple
September 25, 2010
Live With Flair
(my daily blog)
Losing Something You Can’t Recover
My student bursts into the classroom. “I’ve lost my paper! I didn’t save it properly and the whole thing is gone!” The exasperation in this
September 23, 2010
One Sure Way Not to Take Yourself So Seriously
I’m in class, teaching difficult things. We stress, we furrow our brows, and we cramp our fingers around our pens as we engineer new thesis
September 22, 2010
Forgetting the Thing I Need the Most
Today, I attended that Body Combat class that once made me cry. I’m front and center with the petite and perky trainer staring right into
September 21, 2010
A Mistake We Make
Our acorn stockpile wasn’t such a great idea after all. A few days ago, I learned that acorns contain bitter tannins that interfere with a
September 20, 2010
Would You Wear These Shoes?!
My shoes look a lot like this: brown, basic, sensible, sturdy. No heel. Are you surprised? I’m the same woman who wore flip-flops
September 19, 2010
When You Feel Unstable
I’ve been walking a lot lately. This morning I woke up thinking about a quote from Oliver Wendall Holmes: Walking, then, is a perpetual
September 18, 2010
How to Get This Thing to Work
My friend just emailed a picture of my daughter swinging on a glider swing with her daughter. On a glider swing, two friends sit back
September 16, 2010
Totally Out of Context
Today I tell my students we will work together to revise their essays. To revise means “to see again.” When we see our writing
September 15, 2010
Darning a Hole in Your Community
Last night, our neighborhood launched the second year of Monday Night Neighborhood Fitness Group in the parking lot. We had children and adults jumping rope
September 14, 2010