GRIN & BARE IT
Read (and subscribe to) Grin and Bare It, my daily blog on storytelling, productivity, current events, teaching, my family, and other musings.
I have been posting to this blog every day since 2005.
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Laura Dern’s “I told you so.”
Laura Dern — Academy Award, Emmy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award winner — was forced to drop out of UCLA film school at Read More
Every moment can’t be a parade
Elysha sent this to me. It made me laugh aloud. It also worries me. I encounter people who seem to expect every moment of life Read More
Childhood hobbies return
Writer (and now singer) Marian Schembari writes about the joy of returning to your childhood hobbies. Schembari was having a hard time remembering what joy Read More
Entitlement stunts growth and produces yucky people
Thanks to privilege and entitlement, those born near or at the finish line often fail to understand how challenging getting there can be. They’ll never Read More
My Eagle Scout service project — I’ve decided to complete it.
Back in 1988, I was in the midst of completing my service project — the final step in becoming an Eagle Scout – when I Read More
Shortcomings and Flaws 2024
More than a decade ago, a reader accused me of being materialistic after I wrote about my lack of a favorite number. The reader specifically Read More
Charlie asks good questions
Charlie was reading a book about the wonders of the world: Pyramids. Great Wall of China. Stonehenge. The Great Barrier Reef. Taj Mahal. He asked, Read More
Not always true but sometimes true
Some problems are complex and require real work to solve. Many also require the assistance of professionals, such as mental health experts, religious advisors, social Read More
A company unafraid of taking a stand
I admire a company that isn’t afraid to take a political stand. Avery Beverages — a local soda company — produced two new sodas for Read More
When it’s okay to be alone
When a student’s answer to a math problem differs from the rest of their classmates’ answers, I always celebrate that student. Their answer may be Read More
Elysha renegotiates terms
More than twenty years ago, Elysha decided to move from her teaching job in a private Jewish Day School to a public school. Thanks to Read More
Strangest Uber ride ever
My strangest Uber ride of the summer: In August, I arrived at Bradley International Airport at 5:00 AM to discover that my flight had been Read More
Clever but not so simple
This image seems clever—adults are so dumb for exercising indoors when the outdoor option exists—except the reality is very different. My primary and daily means Read More
Stop complimenting students
As an elementary school teacher, I have made it my policy to avoid commenting on a student’s physical appearance for over two decades. A student’s Read More
A study published by Captain Obvious
Findings from a recent study on the use of tablets and smartphones in early life: Child tablet use at the age of 3.5 was associated Read More
RIP Lester Maroney
Today, I begin my 26th year of teaching elementary school. I also learned yesterday that Lester Maroney, my friend and former high school French teacher Read More
Things can always be better
Two expressions I heard spoken yesterday: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” “Why reinvent the wheel?” I hate these expressions. These are words spoken Read More
What teacher’s need and deserve
The school year begins for me today. This will be my 26th year in the classroom—all in the same school and almost all in the Read More
I want to stand on the highwire for one specific reason
My friend Chris and I entered a club in New York City last year. I was scheduled to perform in a storytelling show, but we Read More
A well placed piano
A beautiful piano just beyond the security checkpoint in Logan Airport. Available for anyone to play. Hopefully someone with at least a little bit of Read More
