Everything in me wants to give up on things right now. Maybe it's the string of cloudy, gloomy days, or maybe it's the short days, or maybe it's that resources are tight while needs are high, but I'm way off my game. I'm forgetting things more than usual, I'm hyperfocused on things that aren't helpful … Continue reading December 12: not giving up
violence
November 12: this world is too much today
Everything is so heavy: the fires in California, the terrible loss of life, the needless brutality from the local to the international, the news of audio from the Khashoggi murder, our crazy-ass idiot president, the insanity of people not wanting every vote to be counted in states where elections are very close, an entire town … Continue reading November 12: this world is too much today
October 26: so many things on my mind
One thing about ADHD is that sometimes my mind is swirling with so many thoughts and ideas that it's impossible to keep them straight. At times like that, I kind of shut down and look for distractions for my mind: reading blogs, looking through twitter, playing a little iPhone game, listening to a podcast, laying … Continue reading October 26: so many things on my mind
September 11: 9/11 as a teacher
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
July 29: Justice in Minneapolis
The city of Minneapolis released body cam video from the officer shooting of Thurman Blevins. The videos, linked here, is obviously sensitive and not appropriate for younger eyes, but you should watch it. We should know what police are doing in the name of "public safety," even when it makes us uncomfortable. My first reaction … Continue reading July 29: Justice in Minneapolis
July 10: Honestly, I’m Scared
I want to believe that the arc of history bends toward justice. I have believed that people, in general, are good and deserving of compassion. I try not to assume intent when people do stupid or hurtful things; I try to look at the bigger picture and see the circumstances that brought them to that … Continue reading July 10: Honestly, I’m Scared
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 18: Art and Artists
I'm really wrestling with the question of whether it's okay ethically or morally to patronize an artist who is a bad person because you enjoy their art. This question comes to me from time to time, especially with music, books, and movies. I suppose it is a matter of personal morality, really. The reason I … Continue reading June 18: Art and Artists
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 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
Adventures in Distraction 