Reflecting on my 50s – some feats, foibles, fails and facts.

In what feels like the blink of an eye, the ten years of my 50s have flown past and I’m facing the dawn of a new decade. That was fast. Replacing that 5 with a 6 will probably take a little getting used to, at least in a literal sense. Mentally and emotionally, though, I’ve … Continue reading Reflecting on my 50s – some feats, foibles, fails and facts. →

Becoming friends with Miche

I know I’m very late to the game on this book, but I recently listened to the Michelle Obama memoir, Becoming, and am completely obsessed anew with her. Damn - how far we have fallen in terms of the quality of FLOTUS… The book, originally published in 2018 with the audio released that same year, … Continue reading Becoming friends with Miche →

Thoughts on Labor Day from a retired teacher

For most of my life, Labor Day has separated summer freedom and 10 months of being at school. As the days began to dawn later, often with more crispness, and end earlier, the inevitable approach of the schedule to which I must abide grew louder and louder until it was impossible to ignore. School was … Continue reading Thoughts on Labor Day from a retired teacher →

Leaving the nest

I often complain that I hate owning a house because of the unpredictable responsibilities that come with a 115 year-old property. I imagine the freedom I’d feel without the constant worrying about the correct prioritizing of maintenance and improvements and try to decide where else I might live… But, for now (and the last 30+ … Continue reading Leaving the nest →

6/16/26

It stands to reason that someone I first met on an unforgettable day, (9/11/2001), should pass, after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s, on a date as distinctive as 6/16/26. We met in the library. It was my first week working in a district where I would eventually spend three years as the high school librarian. … Continue reading 6/16/26 →

Descended from a king, traveling with a prince

One of the highlights of last month’s visit to Ireland was a Sunday afternoon gathering of family in Dublin. If you’ve been around here for any length of time, you know the story of my making contact with my father’s family for the first time in 1989 when I was 22 years old. If you … Continue reading Descended from a king, traveling with a prince →