The other night at a library trustees meeting, our discussion turned to the issue of privacy. Someone mentioned that a popular blogger in Stoughton had published the salaries of all the town employees and so many of the teachers in town were irate. Betty answered that salaries were a matter of public record so we […]
My dog Snoopy is many things, but brave is not one of them. That may surprise the neighbors who have walked their dogs past our house to the accompaniment of an animal’s loud roar. They must think that we have some huge beast in here until they look up and spot the vicious 30-pound beagle […]
Passover’s been over for a while, but I’ve only now had the time to think about how this Passover season was once again the same and different from all other years. This year the seders fell on Monday and Tuesday, which was not conducive to gathering family together. It was a lot easier when we […]
It’s amazing what a new approach and a few words can do. Admittedly, the words are carefully chosen ones like: epitome, eccentric, encounter, adamant, and amiable. But if you just read those words there’s no hint of the magic that they brought to my classroom. No clue of the enthusiasm, laughter, and just plain silliness […]
The New York Times article “Building a Better Teacher” by Elizabeth Green is spreading through the teaching grapevine like a brush fire. In two days at least five people have forwarded it to me, and I’ve done the same, sending it to all the teachers in my life. It tackles the question: Is a good […]
Steve and I have seen the movie Julie and Julia twice and loved it both time times. We both agree, though, that the best parts are the ones where Meryl Streep portrays Julia Child. Watching Streep’s brilliant recreation of Child, I found myself wishing that I had known her. She had such a love of […]
I’m not a woman who is overly fond of gold or jewels. My favorite jewelry is usually made of silver with an unusual stone like an onyx or a carnelian. Not for me are diamonds and emeralds — I’m a cheap date. But despite that fact the most cherished items in my jewelry box are […]
I have a cold, so it’s been a miserable week. For me the worst part of a cold isn’t the stuffy nose or hacking cough, attractive though they might be; it’s the fact that I can’t sleep at night. Over the years I’ve developed my own regimen for getting through a cold. At night I […]
I love cities. I love the messy, vital, constant movement; the color, the busy sweep, the very insanity of so many people living and working together in a small space. The other day I found myself defending my love of cities to a woman who hated them. “I’m a farm girl at heart,” she told […]
I was a half hour early for my lunch date last Saturday so I wandered around the outdoor mall looking for interesting stores. Most of them were the usual chains, but then I came upon a paper store and was immediately enticed inside. I love stationery stores — the bright colors, the textures, the designs, […]
