Skip to content

Trump in food

My friend’s daughter – not a fan on Donald Trump – created his image in this clever bit of food sculpture. Remarkable. Right? It really does look like him. It’s not, of course, a bigoted, grifting liar who brags about sexual assault, separates families and cages small children on the border, defends Nazis, enriches itself…

Read More

That’s a long way for pizza

After visiting Gillette Castle in East Haddam, CT, the family piled into the car to head over to the neighboring town of Chester, CT for dinner at Otto’s Pizza. It’s such a glorious thing in today’s world: Receive a recommendation from a friend for a restaurant one town away and simply enter the name of…

Read More

Unexpected benefits of teaching

The biggest surprise of my teaching career: Many of my students would remain in my life long after they had left my classroom. Some have become longterm babysitters for my children. Some have stayed in touch via email and social media. Some continue to share their writing with me on a regular basis. Some have…

Read More

Don’t eat children

I told Charlie to hurry up and get into the car “…before the Daddy monster eats you!” “You eat children?” Charlie asked. “Yes, I do,” I said in my most gravely voice. “If that’s true,” he said, “then you eat poop and butts and feet.” There’s really nothing more impressive than a witty, rhetorical comeback.

Read More

It’s real. And appalling.

In case you missed it, this is the letter that Donald Trump sent to Turkey President Erdogan urging him not to attack our Kurdish allies after announcing that he was pulling our troops out of Syria. He made this announcement without consulting or even warning the US military, the US Congress, or our NATO allies.…

Read More

Speak Up Storytelling #67: Bobby Klau

On episode #68 of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast, Matthew and Elysha Dicks talk storytelling! In our follow up segment, we discuss last week’s episode and plans for an upcoming episode. We also discuss a recent review of the podcast and decisions related to the use of profanity in storytelling. Elysha also congratulates listeners for…

Read More

Bobby Klau: “Attitude Trumps Circumstance”

On episode #68 of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast, Matthew and Elysha Dicks talk storytelling! In our follow up segment, we discuss last week’s episode and plans for an upcoming episode. We also discuss a recent review of the podcast and decisions related to the use of profanity in storytelling. Elysha also congratulates listeners for…

Read More

I sometimes use different words based upon the day

Something I don’t think I’ve ever told anyone: Sometimes my choice of words is dependent upon the day. A few days ago I wrote about Harvard’s unconscionable policy of admitting applicants based upon legacy and parental donations, when a great number of those students would not have otherwise been admitted to the university. I suggested…

Read More

Mean things spoken about my body

People have been very mean to me this week. Early in the week, I went for a physical therapy evaluation. The woman evaluating my shoulders said, “You have extremely large shoulder bones.” “Oh,” I said, admittedly surprised. Somehow I’d managed to make it through more than four decades of life without ever having been told…

Read More