Writing
Describing the Essence of Orange
One of the aspects of teaching that keeps me coming back for more is when the students say something so insightful that I ponder the ramifications long after the fact. One such jewel dropped from a student’s mouth when I was circulating around the room, helping my Physics students with their study guide in small … Continue reading
Between Bikram & Malbec
I don’t want to be “that teacher” who complains about the lack of vacation time, but for the fourth year in a row since teaching in Austin, the stretch between Labor Day weekend and Thanksgiving has been the worst time of the year. I’ve never noticed that before. Perhaps teaching outside the States for a … Continue reading
Cocaine Spiders
I can clearly remember back in 1988 when I was 17 and knew that I knew EVERYTHING. I’d skated through high school without having to study, had filled out my college applications by myself and was accepted to all three choices by October of my senior year because, after all, those colleges could see from … Continue reading
Corda-Making
Similar to other martial art traditions, capoeira has a ranking system that is color-coded. Instead of using belts, we use cordas (cords or rope). With the first group that I trained capoeira, we used undyed rope as our cordas. As capoeiristas advanced, the rope was dyed to reflect the skill level. With the group I train with … Continue reading
Burning Away Illusions
For a change of pace, I met a small group of people at a park in Georgetown for “camping.” Granted, we were at a campsite and even had a beautiful view of the lake, but none of us had brought tents, much less sleeping bags. We had food to share, plenty of drinks and a … Continue reading
Writing Transformation
Nearly two years ago, I joined a professional writing group, which had the main objective of fostering the talents of writers who were serious about persuing a romance writing career. My first novel, Tribe of One, is about 30-something, single, Black woman looking for Mr. Right; so I thought perhaps I was a budding romance … Continue reading
Creative Expansion
Frederick Douglass believed that with literacy, one would forever be free. So, how is it I, a highly educated and avid reader, have managed to feel trapped? I just lived through another aniety-filled week where I may have slept well for two nights, but not in a row. I used to be able to exercise my … Continue reading
NeoSlavery
After teaching public school in Texas for three years, I now realize that although slavery has been outlawed for over a century, it didn’t cease to exist. It merely transformed itself first into the plantation-style management of Texas prisons and then infected the public school system with the implementation of No Child Left Behind in 2001. … Continue reading
Bounce
The much-anticipated first day of school found me shedding a few tears and dropping many F-bombs, all before 9 am. I’d accepted a new teaching position as an English Language Learner science teacher, which means that I had to hustle during the sweet week of school without students and prep for 5 different science classes. … Continue reading
Purging Dis-ease
Try as I might, I cannot rid myself of all superstitous beliefs. This past week, my reoccurring superstitous belief of bad things happening in threes manifested itself. In actuality, there were four things, but one has already been remedied while the other three remain. The excited energy of returning to school has been drained, dealing … Continue reading