There’s a phrase that I learned early in my career that has proven helpful in many aspects of my life since. I remember someone talking about how the best thing you can do for a child is to “set them up for success,” and it has been my number one rule as a teacher. It’s… Continue reading Setting myself up
As you know from my cover letter that I wish I could write, it’s application season. My actual cover letter needed help, so I turned to one of my best friends ever for it. He and I got on the phone- yes, a real phone call, I do that with him- and began the work… Continue reading Friemily
I’m a dirty, rotten, no-good liar. I’m neither proud of it nor do I expect to change it any time soon. It’s how I’m getting through every day. People with depression and anxiety get used to telling lies. They often say that things don’t bother them or that they’re not depressed or even upset. They… Continue reading Pants on fire
It seems like all I’ve been doing these last few months is waiting. I waited for results, waited for various doctors, waited for insurance companies and even more doctors, the waiting never ends. Tomorrow I will finally know when at least some of the waiting will end. I don’t have too much to say about… Continue reading Appropriately whelmed
I’m so tired of thinking about breast cancer, mastectomies, and reconstruction surgery. I’m tired of trying to get my energy and fitness up to speed up recovery and watching what I eat so I can lose weight. I’m tired of obsessing about my underarms. I decided not to think about those things for a little… Continue reading Don’t think about zebras
Something that I will never understand is why people judge others based on appearance. I have a few things about me that can make others jump to conclusions, and it frustrates me to no end. For example, I am fat, but I am also not unhealthy. That doesn’t make sense to some people, including […]
When I was a kid, I used to watch Little House on the Prairie reruns all the time. It was one of my favorite shows, and I can remember watching it with my childhood best friend all the time. There are a few episodes which stand out in my mind very clearly: when Mr. Edwards came… Continue reading A simple orange
Memory is a funny thing. It can change mostly bad times into mostly good times. It can give you perspective. It can haunt you or help you. One of the weirdest things about memories is the way they can show up out of the blue. This weekend, much of the country got snow.… Continue reading Misty water colored memories
A person I love and respect very much is a bit more than ten years my senior. He gives me insight into what’s coming next as I age when he describes things he notices about himself now, and it’s good to have a picture of the mysteries ahead. Something he pointed out to me a… Continue reading Aging emotions
On February 7, 2013, I met an amazing author. Ralph Fletcher, writer of children’s books and guru about getting kids (especially boys) to write was teaching a session at a reading conference I was attending. I went to see him speak and learn from him because I so admired the memoir he wrote, Marshfield Dreams,… Continue reading The good old days
Elephants in the Room 