One of the most surreal moments today was realizing that almost all of my students were born before September 11, 2001. Before this year, this was true for many, but the older kids had been born before it. Not that it matters - they were only a year or two old in 2001 - but … Continue reading September 11: 9/11 as a teacher
depression
August 15: I can adulting!
Wow, I did ALL the adult things today! I got up and did my morning routine, cleaned and organized a ton of stuff, checked my email, did the dishes, changed the bedding, did some laundry, and even managed to feed myself with healthy food three times today! I gave the dog a much-needed bath. I … Continue reading August 15: I can adulting!
July 18: flashbacks
I was absent-mindedly deleting old podcasts from my phone today, something I don't do very regularly, and I had NPR Politics podcasts from before the 2016 election. Podcasts from when we were so sure we would have our first woman President because who would vote for this asshole? A podcast from his attack on the … Continue reading July 18: flashbacks
June 19: It just gets worse.
Today, McClatchy reported that it is more like 6,000 children who've been separated from their families. The AP reported that there are three "tender age" facilities for children under age 5 who've been taken from their parents, with the possibility of a fourth "needed." I don't remember the news source (Strib?), but they are looking … Continue reading June 19: It just gets worse.
June 17: Happy(?) Father’s Day
I just finished reading this article from Texas Monthly about the separation of children from their asylum-seeking parents at our border. I am appalled and enraged and feeling helpless in the face of such cruelty. I'd seen posts before with pictures that were then challenged as fake, with articles from websites that seemed somewhat trustworthy … Continue reading June 17: Happy(?) Father’s Day
May 18: emotional whiplash
Wow. I had a great week at school. My kids did excellent on their Romeo and Juliet quizzes today. We've had a great time reading it and playing with it, and they are doing so well. My 12th graders are doing some creative writing using the story lines and interview/narrative structure of the novel we've … Continue reading May 18: emotional whiplash
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 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 13: Heart Palpitations and Vines
In case you hadn't noticed, I've been pretty stressed and depressed lately. The anxiety has begun to manifest itself in ways that are really annoying, which makes me just want to go to bed and not get up for three days: twitchy eyes, tight chest, headaches, all sorts of things. Today, I started having heart … Continue reading March 13: Heart Palpitations and Vines
Adventures in Distraction 