If there’s one quality I admire about squirrels, it’s the creature’s outrageous tenacity. Squirrels never give up, especially when food is at stake. A squirrel will go nuts if you touch their […]
Learning from Squirrels
A Teaching Philosophy: I ♥ School
When the last days of summer arrive, I get that back-to-school feeling. It’s the same feeling I had when I was a kid, and my mother took me and my sisters shopping […]
What I Learned in Vacation Bible School
During summer break from school back in the 70s, there were plenty of things to do. My mother ferried us to the YMCA for swim lessons and free swim, and we also […]
Dear Expertina
Expertina responds to questions about life, love, work, and relationships. Readers may submit questions to expertina@yahoo.com. Dear Expertina, For the first time in my life, I feel seriously depressed and enraged due […]
6 Years Later, Remembrance in Four Parts
I. Even near the end of our time, my husband Jim tossed compliments around like confetti. He expressed his appreciation when I walked through the living room to empty his urinal, calling […]
Literary Foremothers: EBS and Me
The nineteenth-century writer Elizabeth Barstow Stoddard (called affectionately EBS by her admirers) is one of my literary foremothers and a favorite among those I claim. Her first novel, The Morgesons, published in […]
U.S. Presidents Ranked by Fuckability
According to CBS News, the top three sexiest world leaders in 2019 are Justin Trudeau of Canada, Pedro Sánchez of Spain, and Prince William of England. If former President Barack Obama was […]
A Short Interview with Christi Clancy
Recently, my friend Christi Clancy, an amazing writer and Assistant Visiting Professor of English at Beloit College, has accepted a two-book publishing deal with St Martin’s publishing house, a well-deserved accomplishment that’s […]
My Innocent Uncle
When I was fourteen years old, I fell in love with one of my uncles. Only eight years older than me, Uncle Tee had always been my favorite because he played games […]
Word Games People Play
In real life, it’s not easy to find Scrabble players. A lot of people don’t like Scrabble because they have a fear of spelling, which is not an official phobia. Back in […]
