I'm scared of doctors and dentists. They have needles and all kinds of other things that are terribly uncomfortable and frightening. I've gotten better about my needle-phobia with age, but I'm still scared to death of intramuscular injections. This poses a problem for a few reasons. First, I've been living with a temporary crown for, … Continue reading June 5: scared of doctors
anxiety
May 30: Spectacle and Substance
I've been overwhelmed by the drama of everything lately, more than usual, more than even this new era of "normal." The news, the internet world, the real world... everything seems to be so much. Things I'm thinking about or reading about, in no specific order because nothing seems to have order anymore: Roseanne being cancelled … Continue reading May 30: Spectacle and Substance
May 26: so much sadness in the world
The news feels increasingly bleak lately - kids torn away from their families then lost, potentially trafficked. Twisted scandals in Washington DC. An electoral system we may no longer be able to trust. Violence in schools and homes. Foreign policy blunders all over. Unarmed, nonviolent immigrants and protesters being shot in the head. Everything feels … Continue reading May 26: so much sadness in the world
May 10: too much
I have too much going on in my brain to focus enough to write anything worth reading, or at least that's how it feels. Everything is heavy. However, I did try a new snack: almond butter granola cups. They were really good and I recommend them wholeheartedly.
May 9: total exhaustion
There are no words for the mental and emotional exhaustion I have right now. I'm wiped out. It's almost a calm place to be, because there is nothing left in the reserves. Sleep would be nice, but I'm not sure that my body and muscles will let me do it. My body is on alert: … Continue reading May 9: total exhaustion
April 25: We Need To Talk About Testing
I have been teaching for 18 years, most of which have had state- and federally-mandated "standardized" testing. I have been a parent for 13 years and I now have two kids who are taking the MN Comprehensive Assessments, or MCAs. Anders has taken these tests every year for five years. This was Annika's first year. … Continue reading April 25: We Need To Talk About Testing
April 20: 420
This might be the first 4/20 I didn't worry much about going to work. Columbine happened 19 years ago, just before I graduated with my B.A. I had just been accepted to start my Masters program in Education at the U of M that summer. For some, 420 is a day to celebrate weed; for … Continue reading April 20: 420
April 9: I’m Thankful for Drugs
I've seen an article floating around social media regarding how difficult it might be for people to wean off of antidepressants, and it worries me. Medication for depression saves lives, but we stigmatize it so much in our culture that people who could probably really benefit from taking them won't even consider it for all … Continue reading April 9: I’m Thankful for Drugs
March 30: Release
Today I began to realize how anxiety-ridden I have been for so long when my body seemed to release some of it today (that, or I'm getting sick again?). I haven't been able to fully wake up today, I've been a little dizzy when I do get up, and my entire gastrointestinal system is a … Continue reading March 30: Release
March 16: Fun? At School?
Today, for the first time in a very long time, I had fun with every single one of my classes. My 9th graders are reading The House of the Scorpion and are getting into the creepy dystopian world, while my 12th graders just finished reading origin/creation stories from all over the world and comparing them, … Continue reading March 16: Fun? At School?
Adventures in Distraction 