March 2011
1 post
Ash Wednesday
T.S. Eliot
Because I do not hope to turn again Because I do not hope Because I do not hope to turn Desiring this man’s gift and that man’s scope I no longer strive to strive towards such things (Why should the agèd eagle stretch its wings?) Why should I mourn The vanished power of the usual reign? Because I do not hope to know The infirm glory of the positive hour Because I do not...
February 2011
3 posts
a (tiny) request
Hello, blog readers!
My husband and I have some wonderful news, which I’ll be documenting on another blog: bables.tumblr.com.
Won’t you come alongside us for this journey? How on Earth will two English teachers figure out how to make room for a crib in their book-laden apartment?
I know you want the answer to that question. We’re ridiculously excited to announce the next...
“If you cannot understand my argument, and declare “It’s Greek to...”
– Bernard Levin
January 2011
7 posts
walk with me
I got a text message from Matthew on Friday afternoon that read:
Tomorrow can we go for a nice walk downtown? Like we used to.
Yes.
Living in Charleston, as I’m sure it is anywhere, my wonderment and love of this city—my relationship with it—comes and goes. Perhaps, living by the sea, it’s a tidal thing.
Matthew and I are both admittedly mountain-people, and long...
WatchI needed this today. And, on a day like this, after losing a student, I know I’m not the only one. We need to be vulnerable. We need to love, we need to face it ALL head-on, and we must teach those we’re entrusted with to do the same. Oh, and how difficult that is.
Bill Murray (that’s right) introduces Billy...
Billy Collins
I'm looking forward to hearing Billy Collins read tonight at the South Carolina Poetry Society's 90th anniversary. My friend Helen had to have an emergency appendectomy and gave me her tickets...she's doing fine now, and I'm going to go enjoy for her--she's a person who I want to be when I grow up: honest, creative, a little crass, with amazing stories to tell. Her life's been full and vivid...
Watchinspiration for a new semester
one of those people. one of those posts.
If someone asks me tomorrow about my New Year’s resolutions, I’ll tell them I don’t really ever make resolutions.
…And that will be a lie.
For whatever reason, I am a reflective person by nature: whether it’s from being the youngest “surprise!” of my family, the only girl, a reader, a writer…I enjoy looking back, finding meaning, and looking ahead...
December 2010
1 post
not on purpose poetics
Today I was planning to make divinity, but I can’t because it’s raining.
November 2010
4 posts
writers have the right of way
Here are some of the girls that met for our first-ever writer’s group at a nearby bakery/coffeeshop. They were so serious about their work: encouraging, engaged, passionate—I can’t wait to meet with them again!
Many of them have been participating in NaNoWriMo, and wrote an entire novel in a month. Some of their stories were about glamorous girls meeting hot guys, one was...
...
A stranger’s voice
there in your words.
I hear him in your
mashups your
verve
Too much
of a good thing
the thirtieth or so
bite of cotton
candy. No longer
a sweet melting miracle.
Now
only a thing to cramp
into tiny cubes
and crunch between your back teeth.
Just to get it over with.
Done.
Not the thing you first had
Not really you at all.
reflections on a national English teacher...
I have things I want to blog about:
1. a relucant’s guide to Disney World, or at least the outskirts thereof
2. what happens when thousands of English teachers invade the most magical place on earth
3. publishers offering unlimited free books to English teachers
4. free stuff in general—someone could be giving away corn cob pipes and I’d take one.
First up, my Disney...
October 2010
4 posts
bill of writes: i've learned two things →
This is one of my students. If more kids could think through things and feel the way that she does…well, that’d be pretty awesome.
I just hate that she had to go through this because of one of my assignments.
emilymorganpeters:
i’ve learned two things today.
i also realized that i do those two things.
1. people judge you by what you’re wearing
2. the people who don’t “fit in”...
::Zombies Take Over King Street::
comealive:
Beth and I were enjoying a peaceful Sunday afternoon down on King Street when suddenly we were overtaken by a horde of zombies…
and the most terrifying of all…
John Mayer's got me thinking
I love to write.
But what I end up doing (to borrow from Mr. Capote) isn’t writing—it’s typing.
I spend too much time online, and while there’s much good that comes from it, this post from John Mayer has me thinking about how I spend my words:
(and, yes, it’s not lost on me how silly this is that I’m posting this on my blog which will then appear on my...
the conversation tonight
Me: I want to buy some skinny jeans.
Matthew: why?
Me: So I can tuck them in my boots.
Matthew: Then just get some jeggings.
Me: Do you even know what those are??
Matthew: ...
while grading...
test question:
What is the purpose of poetry? Use one of the poems we’ve studied to back up your reasoning.
and this is the answer I receive:
“To inform in a loving story, slow, sweet, that is the purpose for when you care for someone you give poetry.”
September 2010
9 posts
On Oprah
Oprah is like that high school girl that everyone clambers to be accepted by—no matter what. So today when she says, “You all watch Modern Family, right? don’t you LOVE IT??” and the audience goes crazy clapping…they all know that maybe five people actually watch it. But who’s going to admit that to Oprah? Then she’ll just go and spread nasty rumors...
"September" by John Updike
“The breezes taste Of apple peel. The air is full Of smells to feel- Ripe fruit, old footballs, Burning brush, New books, erasers, Chalk, and such. The bee, his hive, Well-honeyed hum, And Mother cuts Chrysanthemums. Like plates washed clean With suds, the days Are polished with A morning haze.”
WatchBill Murray as a teacher in Square Pegs. Who knew this existed?
August 2010
11 posts
“When the disaster happens, everybody wants to help, everybody in this room...”
– George Clooney’s acceptance speech at the Emmys for the Bob Hope Humanitarian award
interesting (maybe)
It’s worth noting here (not really) that when a person claims they do not care about their outward image/appearance actually, with that admission, do care a great deal.
Just like when people say they do not believe in God only usher Him into reality every time they breathe out His name. I think it’s Rob Bell that said that the spelling out of “Yahweh” even sounds like...
thoughts while eating cereal at 9:30 at night
Who came up with the name Life for a cereal?
Was it during a sparsely attended advertising meeting…or after a long drunken lunch? Did the Quaker Oat man lose a bet? What on earth does “life” have to do with slightly sweetened oat squares?
It was introduced in 1958, so was it some beatnik in a turtleneck reading Howl in the Quaker bathroom who just had enough one day and said...
words, words, words...
The Oxford English Dictionary has accepted “bromance” and “chillax.” As words. In their dictionary.
What does this say about us? Really. We’re all living in a Jud Apatow movie.
Speaking of the OED, you can buy me one here. I’ve always wanted one. It’s only $995. A bargain. So chillax from your bromance and buy me one, dudes.
What's your favorite?
Hello, friends!
I’m asking you again this year: what is one book you read when you were a teenager that made an impression on you? What’s a book you wish you could go back and make your teenage-self read?
Last year, so many of you sent me your favorite books, and my students finally had a classroom library brim full of great stuff. I was blown away at your generosity and ...
things
I care too much (?) about what my classroom looks like. But since I spend up to 8 hours a day in it…shouldn’t I care?
I have these thanks to these lovely people. After returning from our literary vacation to find ourselves immediately moving into and cleaning up my new classroom, it sure was nice to open up a package from Brooklyn…these posters will be perfect.
Matthew...
“To be a teacher does not mean simply to affirm that such a thing is so, or to...”
– Soren Kierkegaard
July 2010
14 posts
come hear, Uncle John's van
My friend Melissa and I were in a two-week class together earlier this month. Over and over again, she affirmed me, bragged on me, encouraged me, and told me that cool things happen to me. What a friend! And she knows about cool things because she’s genuinely and authentically a cool person—I’m blessed to be in her circle. I’m better for it.
She told me something one...
I went to the woods...and two roads diverged...and...
This time next week, Matthew and I will be in Boston. I’m finally going to New England, to live out my literary dream. No, not the one about getting published, but I am seeing Concord, Amherst, a certain house in Hartford, and Bennington…
I can’t help it—I’m a true English major and can’t wait to see Walden Pond and walk around Louisa May’s yard and...
