My life has come full circle, and I have arrived back where I began my career. Following the completion of my Master’s Degree in History, I served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. I then pursued my professional career as an advertising copywriter. After honing my craft at … Continue reading Act Three
After dedicating 18+ years of my life to teaching high school before retiring this year, I can say with authority that arming teachers with weapons is a very bad and dangerous idea. While some of my former colleagues may disagree, I assert that only more tragedy will occur on an armed-and-ready-to-shoot campus. Most people who … Continue reading Guns In the Classroom
What is every preschooler’s food fantasy? My grandson’s was a candy sandwich. The Birth of the Concept We are blessed with the most adorable Irish twins - ages 4 and 5. They were born one year apart with January birthdays. A couple of months ago, while visiting them, my step-daughter Jenn asked what kind of … Continue reading Candy Sandwiches
The Set-Up Late on the night of December 27, while watching a documentary about the band Rush and their final tour - Rush: Time Stand Still - I was inspired to Google the term “Orange Sunshine.” To my surprise, the movie Orange Sunshine was scheduled to have a special screening at the Laguna Art Museum … Continue reading Orange (County) Sunshine: Celebrating My Anniversary in Laguna Beach
I remember when my daughter announced that Donald Trump had entered the race for the Republican nominee. I laughed, thinking it was a joke. How could a shady businessman and reality TV host earn the trust of the American public? It seemed absurd. I watched The Apprentice for the first few seasons - it was … Continue reading The Challanges of Teaching Truth in the Age of Trump: If I Had Not Retired, I May Have Been Fired!
Eight feral and stray cats have found their way to our house. During the summer of 2008, a stray cat (Mama Cat) had a litter of four kittens under a bush in our front yard. We discovered the kittens when they were about a month old. I affectionately refer to it as “kitten summer,” because … Continue reading Mayflower Kitten Gets a Christmas Home
1968 was the second to the last Christmas I shared with my brother. Harvey was 14 years my senior, and in 1970, he died from complications of muscular dystrophy. We were both adopted at birth - from separate birth families. I came into the family around the same time Harvey was transitioning into his wheelchair. … Continue reading Remembering Christmas with my Brother
We all have that favorite meal from our childhood. The meal that evokes my happiest memories is Ham Soup. My Jewish mother learned to cook from her Polish in-laws, and this dish was a family favorite. (Clearly, my mother had no interest in keeping a kosher kitchen.) Part of the allure of this meal is … Continue reading Comfort Food
For the first time in a long time, I was the youngest person in the room. At age 56, this is an increasingly rare occurrence. The event that placed me in this odd situation was the first meeting I attended for the Retired Public Employees of Nevada (RPEN). This is my new retirement union, so … Continue reading Ageism: The Equal Opportunity Discriminator
Cherished holiday traditions should always hold a place in our hearts, but even greater joy is found in opening ourselves to new customs and practices. As a classroom teacher, Thanksgiving was the hardest holiday to host. It was mad work to get everything done in the 24 hours between 3:00 Wednesday and 3:00 Thursday, even … Continue reading Thanksgiving: A New Tradition
Joyce O’Day 