Category Archives: Teaching
The Time I Was Almost a Ghostwriter
In April of 2002 I was flat broke. This in itself is not news; I have often in my life been flat broke. But in April of 2002 I came to the conclusion that if I wanted to be able … Continue reading
What a Decade Did
I was in a motel in Hamburg, Arkansas when I learned that I had been hired for my first boarding school job. It was a decade ago, almost to the day. I knew that the call was coming and checked … Continue reading
Re-Entry: Day 3
So I made it two and a half days into my readjustment to work before I totally melted down. To be honest, I thought I would last longer, and I’m both disappointed and scared. On Monday, I felt shy and … Continue reading
I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!: Day 88 of Medical Leave
During the first two months of my leave, every time I left home I did so in full secret agent mode, planning the outing carefully to make sure I stood absolutely no chance of running into anyone I knew. During … Continue reading
Playing Catch with Condoms: Some Thoughts on Eccentricity in Education and Growing Up Female at the Tail End of the Sexual Revolution
A pink plastic case arcs through the air, soaring over the rows of coal-black lab tables. A teenaged girl ducks to protect her face but catches it like a fly ball in both hands. She opens the case quickly, glancing … Continue reading
How I Got Here (Part 2): Day 7 of Medical Leave
By late summer of 2004 I had cried myself dry. Other women in their late twenties might spread their tears out a little more liberally, offering a few to family struggles, a few to financial stress, and a few (read: … Continue reading