Archive for March 2021

Curious about how you’ll view the breadth and depth of your life when you’re much older and looking back? Wondering how satisfied you’ll feel with they way you spent 2021 as the world rings in 2022? Annie Dillard said it best, I think, in The Writing Life: “How we spend our days is of course how we…

As a blogger, an advice columnist for Slate magazine, and the humor columnist for Seasons magazine, I get my fair share of reader mail. Much of it arrives digitally in the form of email, tweets, Instagram messages, and comments on Facebook posts, but I also occasionally receive actual letters, too. It’s not always complimentary, and…

I received an email at 9:15 AM on Sunday morning that read: Hi Matthew! I’m sorry, I’m running 5 minutes late (traffic in Paris…) Thanks and apologies! Since the pandemic began, I have shifted much of my business online, so messages like this have become oddly commonplace. Sunday’s workshop included storytellers from France, Texas, Montreal,…

Earlier this year, my student’s vocal music teacher taught remotely from her home via Smartboard while quarantined. It was the only time she was actually allowed to sing this year, since singing in the age of COVID-19 is dangerous. None of my students are allowed to sing during vocal music this year, either, which has…

I received my COVID-19 vaccine yesterday. As a teacher in Connecticut, the vaccines became available to me on March 1. Our school district quickly established a vaccination center in the gymnasium of our high school and scheduled all teachers for vaccines. Simple, efficient, and easy. Though I almost didn’t receive my vaccine. When I was…

Earlier this week, Elysha posted this on Facebook: “Our children just discovered that Matt and I dated other people before dating each other and they are STUNNED.” Charlie was especially appalled. As we told the story of an unforgettable dinner with one of my ex-girlfriends, Charlie turned to Elysha with a look that said, “Are…

Charlie is officially a journalist. And publisher. And delivery person. Earlier this week, he wrote the first edition of The Francis Drive Daily, a local newspaper featuring: A story about his sister’s obsession with an upcoming Disney movie Terrain and road conditions on our street Upcoming birthdays (his) and a clean-up day that he is…

Charlie and I watched The Simpsons for the first time together yesterday afternoon. Season 1, episode 1. All 32 seasons are now available on Disney+. Thank you, Mickey Mouse. It took some doing to get him to watch at first. He kept asking me, “”What are those yellow creatures?” “People,” I would say. “Human beings.”…

I was listening to a well known podcaster interview a well known actor this weekend. They were discussing the actor’s most recent performance. Podcaster: You get to panic in a scene pretty quickly. Panic is never that far away. Right? Actor: I don’t think panic is so far away from any of us. _____________________________________________ Later…

I don’t write my books for teens and tweens, but a few of them unexpectedly crossed over. It appears to be happening with “The Other Mother.” As a teacher, I’m thrilled.