The red sofa revolution

In a moment of Sunday night insomnia, I just looked up my old blog that I started about two and a half years ago and realized that I actually liked the last post I ever wrote:
” I bought myself a sofa today. A red one. This is symbolic on two levels: first, I am [...]

Read this Book!

I just finished reading a fantastic book called Prep. It is beautifully written in a way that accurately captures the minute observations of a midwestern girl at an east coast prep school that she ended up attending almost by accident. It made me alternately feel warm and fuzzy, contemplative, and nostalgic (I [...]

Little Miss Grammar has her panties in a bunch…

Please pardon me while I pontificate on some of the grammatical/mechanical/usage nightmares that I encounter on a daily basis. I know this might make me seem like a grammar snob and that there are bigger things in life, but really… it’s the little things that matter sometimes. Refined language will get you places in life, [...]

easily amused

Two of my favorite words in the English language:
phonetic — this means “as it sounds”… for example, if you spelled “phonetic” phonetically it would be “funetik.” The word contradicts itself.  Which leads me to…
monosyllabic – which means “having only one syllable.” By the way, “monosyllabic” has  FIVE syllables.
Yes, I do find myself quite witty.

Weather Girl Report

During my ten minute drive to work this morning, the weather did as follows: it rained, then snowed, then hailed. In that order. I shit you not. Yesterday it was 42 degrees and lovely (lots of snow melted!!!), and today it is 20-something degrees and very windy. Only here. Ooonly here. >>sigh<<<

mmmmm soup

In the past few months I have had a handful of friends/family members ask me for my soup recipes. I have to admit, I do it a little differently every time - but these are roughly how I make them. Warning: I don’t measure exactly — I just toss stuff in until it smells/tastes the [...]

Apple for the teacher? No thanks, I’ll take a martini.

I don’t understand the iconography of the apple as a representation of teaching. I have never once had a student give me an apple (wait, once a kid gave me a chocolate “apple” with a gummy worm inside), nor have I ever given a teacher an apple. I vote that we remove apple pictures/drawings from [...]

my once-and-done explanation for something I’ve been asked about a million times

This is an interesting article: “Vegetarianism is the new Prius.” For the past eight years, I have had many people ask me why I am a vegetarian. In all honesty, it is a combination of many factors that have evolved over the years.
Sometimes I refer to my inablility to eat cute fuzzy things, and to [...]

reflexive teaching

“We teach best what we most need to learn.”
I don’t know who said that, but it’s so true. There are several times in class when I advise a kid about a situation, and realize that I should follow my own advice. At almost every moment of my life, I am conscious of how precious my [...]

playing nurse

Taking care of my mother post-surgery has been interesting. It’s been an exercise in patience and a fabulous bonding experience. She is driving me nuts, but then I remember how lucky I am she didn’t murder me during my teenage years and I gladly do whatever silly thing she tells me to do. A few [...]