I’ve been binging on Peter Jackson’s documentary series, Get Back, about the Beatles and it really couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s the kind of show, in my opinion, that doesn’t require acute attention and that’s kind of where I am at present. The project most certainly was a labor of love for … Continue reading Keeping it together as the Beatles fall apart
Category: family
Your mother never was one
Recently, I've been on a Lumineers kick and the title of this post comes from their song, Donna. It wasn’t the first lyric in the song that caught my ear, but it was the one that prompted me to write it down. Let’s just say it resonated. I’ve written, and even publicly spoken, about finding … Continue reading Your mother never was one
Je me souviens
Last week’s trip to Montreal with my sons was, I think, the 7th or 8th time I’ve been there. It’s been quite some time, though, since I’ve gone to Montreal without an agenda in place. The most recent occasions have been to make use of the airport, see a concert, and chaperone a middle school … Continue reading Je me souviens
Giving thanks for simple pleasures
It seems that Thanksgiving has changed in so many ways since I was a child and taught about Pilgrims and “Indians.” Knowing what I know now about the atrocities perpetrated by whites against Native Americans has certainly diminished the joy of the holiday for many, including myself. How does one celebrate the colonialization of the … Continue reading Giving thanks for simple pleasures
(Re)Creating (dis)Comfort
Saturday was a damp, grey day, certainly not the kind of day which inspires a 100 mile road trip. But, the plans had been made and downstate friends and I were meeting at my brother’s new house to celebrate his recent birthday. “House” is a bit of a misnomer in this case because where my … Continue reading (Re)Creating (dis)Comfort
Buying happiness
I’ve got news for you...despite what you may have heard, money can, in fact, buy happiness. At least for me it can when it comes in the form of travel reservations. In the last couple of months I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what makes me happy and what I’ve concluded is this … Continue reading Buying happiness
Summer school(ed)
This week I’ll begin my 27th year teaching. If you factor in my own years as a student, I’ve spent 45+ years of my life greeting September by returning to school. That’s a long time. Despite all those decades of experience, a new school year always comes with a combination of excitement and dread. Each … Continue reading Summer school(ed)






