#52: Stupid Human Facebook Tricks

(with apologies to all my friends guilty of the following) I think one has to earn the right to post pictures of one’s food. First, it must be good food, carefully prepared, photogenic food, artfully arranged, economically described. Otherwise, I don’t want to see anybody’s food. And I refuse to respond to posts that testContinue reading “#52: Stupid Human Facebook Tricks”

#51: Benefit Car Crash

I misread the advertisement for a benefit car wash as a benefit car crash, honestly enough, my eye glancing quickly over the headline, eliminating the ‘a’ in car and the ‘w’ in wash, the brain filling in some redundancy so that sense could be made–because no one would advertise a benefit crash without specifying theContinue reading “#51: Benefit Car Crash”

#48: Learning to Ride

Learning to Ride He’s seven, reluctant to ride independently, most of his classmates far ahead on two wheels, which has not been a problem for him, so he says. No, I’m scared, he has said.  No, I like the scooter better, he has said. I will never ride a bike, he has said.  Never, heContinue reading “#48: Learning to Ride”

#47: Letting the Lawn Brown Out

Letting the Lawn Brown Out Otherwise, it would cost a small fortune for all the water it would take to keep it green, and who’s to say that somehow green is prettier than brown? It’s softer, yeah, sure, but I’m not a barefoot kind of guy so I’m always wearing shoes and I’d never knowContinue reading “#47: Letting the Lawn Brown Out”

#45: The Seven Year Old Understands Adult Psychology (Whispering Across the Table)

The Seven Year Old Understands Adult Psychology (Whispering Across the Table) So the boy and his mother are bickering, you know, the usual stuff, it’s time for dinner and someone won’t put away the iPad. There are repeated requests, some back talk, further struggling, the ubiquitous countdown, and then the final capitulation with an accompanimentContinue reading “#45: The Seven Year Old Understands Adult Psychology (Whispering Across the Table)”

#44: Sure, I Will Marry You

Sure, I Will Marry You Sure, I’ll marry you, if you’d like. That’s what I told a student of mine who sent me this message out of the blue fifteen years or better after he’d been in my classroom reading some Shakespeare, saying he had asked his girlfriend, who was also a student of mineContinue reading “#44: Sure, I Will Marry You”

#43: The Summertime Blues Is A Real Thing

The Summer Time Blues Is A Real Thing I’m here to tell you that the Summertime Blues is a real thing. And I’m not talking about the silly song about the kid who couldn’t work late or can’t use the damn car and is too young to vote, no, I’m talking about the summertime blues thatContinue reading “#43: The Summertime Blues Is A Real Thing”

#41: On the Very Last Work Day of the School Year

On the Very Last Work Day of the School Year It began with a breakfast during which we said tearful goodbyes to beloved colleagues retiring or moving on, a difficult, but joyful thing, wanting them to stay but wishing them well and happy returns for all they’ve done for our school and our kids. WeContinue reading “#41: On the Very Last Work Day of the School Year”

#38: Last Night I Dreamt I Was Awake and Unable to Sleep

I’m not especially skilled at dream interpretation, probably because I don’t invest the time.  However, here’s a poem about one of the most annoying types of dreams in my personal repertoire.  True story. Last Night I Dreamt I Was Awake and Unable to Sleep Last night I dreamt I was awake and unable to sleep.Continue reading “#38: Last Night I Dreamt I Was Awake and Unable to Sleep”