Archive for October 2020
Clara ruined my game
Clara was bragging about the depth and breadth of her knowledge on the drive to dance class this week. “Oh yeah?” I said. “Play my trivia game.” This is a game that I invented years ago. In its traditional form, two players compete against each other on trivia while I serve as game master. Players…
Read MoreCompany
Writing is a solitary profession. Except when you have cats.
Read MoreWhy I’m so excited about PokerStars
Two decades ago I began playing poker with my friends around dining room tables. I almost instantly liked the game. Over the course of the next year, I bought books and studied the game. Learned the strategies, math, and mindset that allowed the best poker players in the world to win again and again Over…
Read MoreJust fix it now.
The Pope, and therefore the Catholic Church, has endorsed civil unions between same-sex couples. Maybe. There is some controversy over the intent of his endorsement, but it seems like it might be a move in the right direction. Don’t get me wrong. The Pope is still a bigot. On any number of occasions, Pope Francis…
Read MoreSmartest girl on the planet!
My daughter, Clara, was on fire last night. After Elysha mentioned that one of her students is having trouble accepting that one person might get something while another might not, Clara said, with all sincerity, “I think she would really like Communism.” Clara began studying Communism in social studies this week. I was thrilled to…
Read MoreWinter is coming.
I don’t mind the change of seasons in New England. In fact, I kind of love it. I enjoy the variation of landscape and temperature. I appreciate the anticipation of one season beyond the next. I adore the way a crisp autumn day or a hot, breezy summer afternoon can feel so precious because you…
Read MoreCharlie explains how to do something new via paddle boarding
Charlie and I learned to paddle board this past summer. It was one of the many highlights of this past summer. Paddling around the lake with Charlie perched at the front of the board was a perfect way to spend a summer afternoon. It was during our second or third time on a paddle board,…
Read MoreBeaty and the Beast is a film about mental illness
I watched the 1991 animated classic Beauty and the Beast with the family for the first time last night. Interesting film. Young girl suffering from Stockholm Syndrome falls in love with her captor despite never actually knowing his name. Weird. Why didn’t anyone ever tell me that this is the story of mental illness? Also…
Read MoreBetter than golf
My friend asked me to play golf after school this week. Though nothing sounded better, I had schedule a parent-teacher conference for that same afternoon, so I had to pass. It killed me. The meeting proved to be productive. We sat at an outdoor table at a safe distance – parents, student, and myself –…
Read MoreDon’t worry, Tig. I learned most things after high school
Listening to comedian Tig Notaro on a recent podcast, she expressed insecurity over failing to complete high school. She worries that there are large gaps in her knowledge base because she left high school early and instead earned a GED. I wanted to jump through my headphones and let Tig know that she has nothing…
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