When I was in fifth grade, my school bus driver gave me my first-ever cassette tape: Van Halen’s 1984. I don’t know what prompted him to do it. Big Ricky* was a heavyset black man who never got mad and always had a smile for even the worst-behaved kids on the bus. Maybe he looked … Continue reading Big Ricky
When I was in college, I signed up for an archery class. It was the last half of the last semester of my senior year, and I needed one PE credit to graduate. I picked archery because, honestly, it seemed like the phys ed class with least amount of actual physical exertion. To my surprise, … Continue reading Missing the mark
First, collect the eggs. Hold the chicken coop open with one hand; hold your breath.
Today was the last day of school. It feels a little anticlimactic: the kids still had online lessons to complete, classwork to turn in. My older son graduated from 5th grade a week ago with a car parade past the school, 24 teachers and staff members (the maximum allowed) standing a careful six feet apart … Continue reading Summer break
I left my phone on a shuttle bus in Denver, Colorado, after a conference, and I didn't get it back for a full week. I spent eight days without the constant reassurance of my phone, and it was— Let me cut in: this is not the essay you think it is. You're expecting an essay … Continue reading Disconnecting to reconnect
