I’m someone who loves US history, who loves the US, and who loves holidays. So usually the 4th of July is a great occasion for me. This year…well, I’m struggling to really celebrate the day. Not that I don’t love recognizing the start of what I still believe to be a great country and a … More Inspirations About Bliss this Independence Day
I was talking to a young adult earlier today who said he was depressed because he thought everything in US politics today was “rancid.” I get it. As I write this on Sunday evening, federalized National Guard officers are throwing tear gas canisters at peaceful protesters in Los Angeles. But I told him (just as … More Motivational Music Monday: No Kings Day Edition
If you are a book lover, like I am, you know the joy of being in a physical book store. When I’m on vacation out of town, I try to visit both their farmers market and their local independent book store. But that is getting harder as more and more bookstores are shutting down. Today … More A Free Gift to Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day (i.e., Don’t Buy Books on Amazon)
Last week I wrote a post about Alton Brown’s concept of a personal Horcrux dish (see that post here if you missed it). After some contemplation, I came up with two….well, one dish and one category. I have to say my lifelong Horcrux dish is Spinach Lasagna. I’ve been making that consistently since I was … More My Horchux Food
Shock is an appropriate reaction when the US President reacts to a national tragedy not with calls for support and comfort for those who have lost loved ones, not with soothing words for the millions of Americans who travel by air every year and who fear meeting a similar fate, and not with reassurances that … More President Trump’s Blame Game Based on “Common Sense” Ignores the Fact that US Air Traffic Controllers are 84% Male and 75% White
When I woke up this morning and read about a commercial jet and a military helicopter crashing together above Washington DC and then plunging into the Potomac river, all I could do was cry. I mourned the loss of life, and it hit me particularly hard because I consider DC to be my home town, … More Tragedy Over DC: Hypocrisy Over Comfort?
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Sir Winston Churchill (paraphrasing a similiar earlier quote by George Santayana). I am biased, because I am a literature teacher, but I would make a similar statement about studying literature. Those who don’t learn the great lessons from great literature at least open … More House Republicans Demonstrate the Dangers of Not Learning from Great Literature
On Monday, Wake County (NC) students on the traditional calendar went back to school. Like many city/suburban areas, the school board mandated masks for everyone inside school, despite some intense protests by some parents. Last week, my city, Cary (a town outside Raleigh, NC), also imposed a mask mandate within city buildings. That, too, has … More Having Ethical Questions around COVID Vaccinations? Let’s check in with NYT, WaPo, the Mayor, and the Dalai Lama.
I’ve been waiting for this day for years––literally years. Since 2016, actually, when it was announced that Lin-Manuel Miranda, who was the toast of Broadway with his blockbuster Hamilton, would co-produce a movie version of his first musical, In the Heights. There were a few detours along the way; it was originally going to be … More It’s Finally Here! THE Movie Event of My Summer
It’s been a year since the pandemic REALLY hit most of us. It was this week last year that the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a pandemic. But is that what made it real for you? I was inspired for this post by an opinion piece by John Paul Brammer in the Washington Post … More When Did You Know?
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