Archive for January 2013
My son is not a USB device
I do a lot of writing with my infant son on my lap. Yesterday he was chewing on the cord that connects my phone to the laptop. Unbeknownst to me, he eventually worked his way up to the end of the cord and placed the connecter in his mouth. I immediately received a warning message…
Read MoreSo I guess there’s no practical use for the word then…
Thanks to Twitter, I have been informed that to “decimate” does not mean to obliterate or wipe out. It means to destroy one-tenth of something. Great. There have been untold number of times in my life when I have needed to describe the destruction of just ten percent of something. Problem solved.
Read MoreI might’ve married this guy if given the chance
It’s always slightly annoying when a guy delivers a toast or a wedding speech that is impossible to top, but in this case, I’ll allow it. I don’t watch many 15 minute videos online, but this one was worth it.
Read MoreLessons and observations from a week of The Clowns.
This evening we will meet to discuss the future of The Clowns, the rock opera that my co-writer and I have spent the last five years writing. With two weeks to reflect on the workshop process that brought The Clowns to the stage for the first time, I had some final thoughts: 1. When collaborating…
Read MoreThis is why I hate leaving for work.
These are the last images I see before leaving for work each day. As much as I love my job, the walk to the car is a long, painful one each day.
Read MoreThe rebels haven’t gone anywhere. They just suck now.
I tend to be a person who resists conformity and rejects tradition in favor of personal preference and a desperate attempt to preserve individuality and perhaps even enhance it. In reflecting upon the recent revisions of our rock opera, The Clowns, I came to realize that I have been crafting the play around an issue…
Read MoreFirst snowman
She named him Fred. He’s not impressive, but the snow was not ideal for snowman making. We did what we could with the material at hand. He’s melted now, but I will never forget him or the afternoon we spent playing in the snow.
Read MoreAuthor Jarrett Krosoczka wins over my students in less than 20 minutes. I’m STILL trying to win them over.
I played this video for my students last week as part of our Writer’s Workshop, and they were overwhelmed with inspiration. Literally. They were blown away by author and illustrator Jarrett’ Krosoczka’s ability to overcome difficult childhood circumstances while remaining positive. They couldn’t stop talking about the degree to which he dedicated himself to his…
Read MoreMy new favorite person in the world
My children absolutely adore each other. If you feel the need to tell me it won’t last forever, shut the hell up.
My wife and I are extremely fortunate in that our older daughter, Clara, is head over heels in love with her brother, Charlie. In the seven months that Charlie has been with us, Clara has yet to demonstrate a single moment of jealousy or anger towards him. Not one. Instead, she says things like, “Isn’t…
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