Most parents I know lament the amount of stuff their kids have. (Some lament their own as well.) Most parents I know specifically say that there’s no need to bring a gift to their kid’s birthday party. (This is extra nice when we don’t really know the birthday kid very well and aren’t sure what … Read more
I was always a night owl. As a kid, I would sleep until 15 minutes before I needed to leave for school. Clothes on, breakfast in, out the door. Saturdays, I would sleep until 10 or 11. (Marching band at Saturday morning football games killed that.) Nights were always my best time. Best for thinking, … Read more
The last couple of years, most or all of my classes (as a whole—not every individual student) had self-control issues. Inability to stay quiet, to accept directions, to follow through on assignments, regardless of where the task fell on the fun meter. In extreme cases, yelling and swearing. Unrelenting back-talk. Things said to me that … Read more
Last year, some of my band classes did a month-long composition activity. I asked students for written feedback: tell me if you liked the activity or not and why. Two reports read the following: “I liked it because it was easy.” “I didn’t like it because it was too easy.” Isn’t that funny? First, that … Read more
Growing up, the first day of school was always so exciting. I always had a new outfit. Often a new backpack or lunch box. I had friends at school. I got along well with most of my teachers, so that was never a worry for me. I wasn’t a wiggly kid and had no trouble … Read more
Phoenix—as part of a large swath of the US southwest and northern Mexico-—is located in the Sonoran Desert. While most of the country has four seasons, the Sonoran Desert actually has five: autumn, winter, spring, dry summer, wet summer. Wet summer here is known as monsoon season, which is technically defined as three consecutive days … Read more
Last night, my name was picked and I got to tell a story on stage at The Moth. (I didn’t tell any stories involving wedding dresses, as they ended up not making good stories. More like good anecdotes. I told a story about a brazen comment in a conversation with my first principal-to-be.) Because I … Read more
I’m always fascinated by how people differently define their common experiences. How do you define “summer”? Summer solstice to autumnal equinox? End of school to beginning of school? When it’s hot out? When traffic is better or worse (depending on your area)? What constitutes summer has changed for me over time, but only marginally. When … Read more
What if we respected aging instead of dreading and denigrating it? (I believe we only denigrate it because we fear it.) What if being in one place for 30 or 40 or 50 (or more!) years meant you were a source of history and information? A wealth of knowledge? What if grey was just another … Read more
Things about me that make me “weird”: don’t watch TV don’t eat meat don’t eat much fried or sweet food don’t drink coffee don’t drink alcohol rarely drink other delicious crap (I miss you, chai latte!) avoid plastic don’t typically spend much time, energy, money on “girl” things (hair, makeup, clothes, shoes, purses) I have … Read more