Writer and Friendly Neighbourhood Philosopher
Just Thinking…
On Aesop, and the Comfort of Pebbles
Call it an Aesop moment, I guess. You think of how other creatures function (even metaphorically), and suddenly you feel like a big, clueless human who’s missed some important life lesson. So, I took to looking up other animals for whom pebbles mean something important. More animals, more pebbles, more wisdom.
Man, I Feel Like A Gen X.
I’m comfortable living out this stereotype, and I feel like, with everything that’s going on right now, it may be time to put it to good use. If you need me, I’ll be over here, a willing mind and extra set of hands, drinking from the hose and waiting.
“I Enjoy Being A Girl.”
I really do enjoy being a girl. I’m happy with the mind I was given, not in spite of it being female, but because of it. It’s not a blessing or a curse, it’s just a fact of who I am, and I’m good with that. So I’m done apologizing, for something that is neither in my control, nor a bad thing to begin with.
It’s The (Really) Little Things That Matter
Here’s to the little things, and to the lovely people who trust us with them. May we take good care of them.
For The New Year
All of those things we wish for each other at New Year’s, like love, peace, and happiness, I think they’re all tied to curiosity. None of these things just land on us, not even in the midst of the twinkly magic of a fresh start, without us going digging for them, exploring what they are, why we want them, how to share them and sustain them.
Once Upon A Postage Stamp
Maybe it’s just comforting to know that random connections like this can still happen, that some stranger on the other side of the world might still consider you important enough to take a few minutes to reach out every year. Maybe it’s just nice, simple, pleasant in a way that few things are anymore.
Our Digital Age Stories
Let me make it clear that I’m not a technophobe. I am typing this on an electronic device, and I will be using other modern technology to post it, tweet it, and generally annoy people with it. I’m all about little things that light up and make noise. But I do miss the grey areas that existed before they became part of daily existence. I think stories, both real and fictional, were a little more interesting before we knew everything about each other, all the time.
The View From A Branch Of My Family Tree
Big Fish, Little Fish
For so long, we’ve been looking at things as if they were beneath the ripples of a lake. We’ve become accustomed to distortion, to being afraid to get a little cold or soggy in order to take a closer look.
For My Students, Past and Present
No matter how well the semester or year goes, students don’t just filter in and out of classrooms without leaving a mark on the folks who are educating them. They sneak into conversations, challenge us to do things differently, maybe better, and occasionally, they spark worry. Whether you love your teaching job, or can’t stand it, whether the year goes swimmingly, or is a hot mess, your students wedge themselves into your brain.
Still Geeky, After All These Years
My friends, you don’t grow out of geek. In fact, it gets much, much worse…and much, much, much better.
Your Kid Can Rebuild You. They Have The Technology.
Things I was afraid to say and do seem far more say-able and do-able. Since this little girl joyfully moshed her way into my life, there’s been an addition built onto the wussy, wet noodle parts of my self. She’s given me an additional story that I didn’t even know I needed.