I can be a word snob; I admit that.  But I am also a reasonable man.  When things reach such a crisis level as this, immediate diplomatic action is required, lest things break out in to total chaos. I am, of course, referring to Google’s addition to its definition of “literal” as “used for emphasis […]

Ah, the 5-paragraph essay.  It’s so great, isn’t it?  It creates a perfect essay, every time. And amazingly, no matter what you want to say – no matter what your point, how simple or how complex, you need exactly 5 paragraphs to do it.  It’s astonishing!  How to make pasta? 5 paragraphs.  Explaining how to calculate […]

In the wake of yet another horrific school shooting, the idea has re-emerged that the solution is to arm teachers. Obviously, this is a rational, logical plan with very few potential downsides. And not to nitpick but, as a teacher, I do have a couple areas I’m unclear on: Do I have to pay for […]

Often, a couple days before my students turn in a piece of writing, I have them reflect on the process and product at that point. The reflection typically concludes with two questions: What are you going to not do that you will wish you’d done? What question are you going to wish you’d asked me? […]

Okay, you know the 7 Deadly Sins.  Lust, sloth, greed, etc. (you can rent Se7en if you need a refresher).  Well I’ve always wondered why there isn’t an 8th.  You have to understand, though, I don’t mean “sin” in the sense of the pet-peeves of a petulant God, fuming from the heavens. I mean in the […]

Something I tell my students is that at each point in my life so far, there’s been something about that stage that’s been the best it’s ever been, and something that been the hardest. And the challenge was to not forget the best stuff. So here’s the short version of the best and the worst, […]

There is a peace that comes from beginning to see closed doors as resolution, instead of loss. And in the happiness at what is, Instead of the fury at what is not.  And it isn’t that time seems short, but rather It has become tangible. Like you could Reach out And Touch it, if only you could find Your god damn glasses.  Because apparently your […]

Original: Start doing qi gong Revised: Not become an alcoholic Original: Make a crossword puzzle and get it in into the NY Times Revised: Have fewer than 15 people I need to apologize to at the end of this Original: Brush up on my French Revised: Better make that fewer than *20* people Original: Clock […]