The blend of happiness and sadness, pride and envy of the working day is easy on some days. Impossibly hard on others. Also, my son needs to get himself a job.

It’s not uncommon to hear about my wife’s day home with our son or the times that they have spent with friends at a coffee shop or a playground or…

Continue ReadingThe blend of happiness and sadness, pride and envy of the working day is easy on some days. Impossibly hard on others. Also, my son needs to get himself a job.

It took this couple 8 years to say “I love you” to each other. It took my wife slightly less time to say it to me.

From This American Life, the insanity of a couple happily together for eight years having never said “I love you” and never spoken about its absence. For the record –…

Continue ReadingIt took this couple 8 years to say “I love you” to each other. It took my wife slightly less time to say it to me.

In the unlikely event that my books, films, and musicals don’t make me a wealthy man, I have a back-up plan more than 350 people strong.

Theologian Adam Clarke once said: “The old proverb about having too many irons in the fire is an abominable old lie. Have all in, shovel, tongs, and poker.” I couldn’t…

Continue ReadingIn the unlikely event that my books, films, and musicals don’t make me a wealthy man, I have a back-up plan more than 350 people strong.

Poetry memorization need not be boring or a waste of time. I have used it to make a woman swoon (possibly) and enact one of my greatest pranks of all time against a fellow teacher.

Mike Chasar of Poetry Magazine writes about the lost art of poetry memorization. While it’s true that the academic demand to memorize poetry has all but disappeared from the American…

Continue ReadingPoetry memorization need not be boring or a waste of time. I have used it to make a woman swoon (possibly) and enact one of my greatest pranks of all time against a fellow teacher.