Sinners

30 April 2025: Holy cow, is Sinners a fun movie! Believe the hype. Scary, beautiful, sexy, and so smart. 

Newslettering...

29 April 2025: Since I am temporarily out of things to grade, today has very much been an "odds and ends" kind of day, taking care of some of the less pressing tasks on my list(s). Today most of that involved getting pieces together for the English and Modern Languages newsletter, particularly the pieces I put myself in charge of (in contrast to those assigned to my practicum students). It is never the most thrilling work, but I pushed through all of it and that feels great. 

Plus it's just always cool to brag about the stuff we got done this semester. 

Three down, one to go...

28 April 2025: Really pushed myself to get a lot of grading done over the weekend and today. That means that, as of right now, I am all caught up with grading and final grades submitted for three of four classes. (The practicum grades are already in, too.) The final set of assignments--the ENGL 204 finals--come in on Wednesday afternoon. So, if the stars align, I should be done with everything by Thursday. So close! 

Theodore...

27 April 2025: Baby Theodore arrived last night. And wow: does our world need this little boy, born to two of the finest people I know. Even before he got here, he has given me (and everyone who loves his parents) such hope and joy. 

Front yard refresher...

26 April 2025: This afternoon, Billy, a landscaper I met through a student's kids' homegrown little newspaper (one of my favorite things I've read this semester!) finished up a project he started a couple of weeks ago. First, he dug out the very overgrown bushes that were basically hiding the front of the house. Then he put down some mulch. That alone was a huge glow-up for the yard. People were literally saying "wow" as they walked by. We waited a couple of weeks to minimize free risks and today, Billy put the new shrubs in. Gotta keep everything well-watered and hope the rocky ground doesn't make too much trouble, but I am so happy about how it looks.

Last day of classes...

25 April 2025: The last day of classes is always kind of surreal, but it went well today. In the spring semester, that last day also means the McMurran Convocation. This year's was especially lovely, with a beloved colleague, Karen, delivering the "Last Lecture." It was one of the best speeches I've ever heard. Add to that getting to hear about the 45 or so terrific students being honored, and it was a really nice afternoon.  

Dinner with Tim...

24 April 2025: Tim and I had dinner after the second set of English capstones this evening. He's got so much on his plate right now and I wish I could make things better or at least easier. I hope just spending time with him and talking did a little something. 

Continually counting my blessing as we move through such dark times, it's always lovely to spend time with someone who ranks so high on that list. 

Early morning flood...

23 April 2025: For about ten minutes this morning, I thought I was in the middle of a homeowner's nightmare. A line going into the guest room toilet burst when I was taking a shower in the master bathroom. By the time I realized it (couldn't have been long at all), water was shooting all over, pouring down into the first floor bathroom, and into the crawl space below. I thought I was going to lose my mind.

I climbed into that crawl space in nothing but a robe and turned off the water. (The toilet valve wouldn't work.) Eventually the water stopped. I used every towel in my house to mop it up. 

And like a pair of superheroes sent from above, Ron and Russ, my long-time plumbing go-to guys, came by and got everything fixed by 9:15 or so. I only had to cancel one class (that 9:10 class).

I keep thinking about how much worse it could have been. If the burst happened 20 minutes later, I would have been gone, off on campus from 7:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. And that water would have been going the whole time. I can't even imagine. In fact, when I do, it makes my anxiety surge.

At the risk of repeating a frequent theme these days, gratitude cuts through so much that is hard. 

I've also been thinking all day about Ron, who shared with me his grief over losing his wife in October. It's always hard to know what to say, but it was a privilege to just listen to him to about her and about his grief, to see the pictures that he shared of her, and to be a witness to such a deep love. 

SSAWW 2025!

22 April 2025: (Once again trying to start the day with a positive post!) I realized this morning that I hadn't stopped to really feel good about an email I got yesterday: my abstract for SSAWW 2025 was accepted. I am delighted to get to work on a weird little paper about a YA book inspired by "The Yellow Wallpaper." It should be a fun summer project. And SSAWW is in Philadelphia, one of my favorite conference cities (with a nearby Vogel bonus). 

Sidewalk beauty...

21 April 2025: I knew today would have some hard moments, so I made myself pause at a sight that strikes me with its bittersweet beauty every spring on my walks: these little sidewalk crack that fill with redbud petals. 

Easter 2025

20 April 2025: Spent the day with the McNetts. Fun and nourishing in all the best ways. Blessed beyond measure. 

Saturday buddy...

19 April 2025: I felt crummy enough (emotionally/mentally) yesterday, that I was a bit anxious about how I would feel today--and how I would fill the day. (Weirdly all caught up on grading and work!) 

Pushed through and embraced the quiet, the productivity, the lovely weather, and the chill vibes. Even got some burgers and grilled for the first time this season. Told myself this was an early soft-summer-launch.

And my goodness, did it help that a certain little girl kept checking in and staying close. (BabyCat, too, but from a further distance.)

3:00 bells...

18 April 2025: It's been a strange, long, and at times very hard week (filled, too, with moments of joy and satisfaction). 

Sitting here working with a student this afternoon, I noticed a church bell that kept ringing and ringing. Then I realized it was 3:00, the time of Jesus's death in the Bible. The bells mark that profoundly sacred moment.

The realization--the holy interruption--threw me off for a moment, but in a blessed way. The pain of Good Friday points to the light and healing of Easter. But we must stop, acknowledge, and some how gesture at imagining that pain and loss. The bells made me do that and continue to do so right now, hours after they stopped. 

Sorry 'bout that!

17 April 2025: "While reading these articles, I have been exposed to topics like sadism, mental instability, folklore, and more..." --a student writing about her annotated bibliography, a deep dive into Brontë scholarship. Made me laugh out loud. 

(She also had two sources about infanticide.)

When it works...

16 April 2025: Long but good day, starting with an ENGL 102 conference when a frustrated and overwhelmed student came in. Just didn't know where to go next with her essay or why it wasn't working. (These are real "I got this!" moments for me, so I was ready.)

So, we got to work. By the end? 

"You unstuck me!" she said. 

Felt great. 

(And happened a few more times today!)

Sweet treats...

15 April 2025: A "sweet" day here in lots of ways. Spent a lot of it getting stuff done and working from home (always sweet!): grading (work, yes, but sweetly moving at times), mowing the lawn (sweet satisfaction), writing a sympathy card/letter (so bittersweet), and, as always, so many emails (some of them sweet?). Being home with Veronica and Jo made it all sweeter.

Since I got home from trivia, I've been thinking about the sweet treats some of my regular players sent me home with. Shirley, one of my absolute favorites, gave me two homemade Easter cookies. She also (for the second time!) gave me a clipping from a recent newspaper piece about an event I did. That's just such lovely energy. A member of another team--who wasn't even there tonight!--sent little Easter treats for her teammates, along with a special bag for me. 

What to say about all that sweetness, literal and figurative? Nothing but that I am very blessed and that this silly once-a-week hosting gig makes me happy. 

Did the thing...

14 April 2025: Did the thing today and I think it went well. People have been very kind and supportive. I think I'll sleep well tonight (?) and I am glad it's done. Now to the next steps--but first, some TV and then early to bed. 

Gratitude Fuel

13 April 2025: I've got a big thing coming up tomorrow afternoon. Something that I am worried about doing but know I have to do. And so much else is hard and bleak in our world. 

Thus I am so profoundly grateful for all the moments this weekend offered me that made me happy or realize how lucky I am this. Yesterday: Relay for Life, lunch and a movie with Amy. Today: seeing one of my favorite students (yes, there are many who fit that label) play in her one of her last home softball games and then seeing the Rude Mechanicals put on their productions of student-written plays. (This was also Betty's last show before retirement. Genuinely moved beyond measure by that.) Then sharing a draft for what I have to say tomorrow and getting reassuring feedback from some of my most cherished colleagues. My cup runneth over. 

So this gratitude is nourishing and well-timed. And it's fuel for tomrrow.

Relay for Life 2025

12 April 2025: Like previous years, I volunteered to help sell luminarias at Relay for Life. I found the experience--especially the opening lap--particularly moving this year. 

Also always wonderful to spent time with Stacey and Amy. 

Friday dinner...

11 April 2025: It's been a long week with lots of sadness and worry (along with lots of very bright spots). Today was especially wearying, so it was actually good timing to have dinner with my parents, who are in town for a few days. I tend to be kind of taciturn and reticent with them, but I just sort told myself to make it a nice evening and we talked for a lot longer than usual, about things we don't usually talk about. Nothing dire or too serious, but it was nice and I'm glad. 

Another conference story...

10 April 2025: While the actual highlight of my day was talking to Vogel on her birthday, in keeping with the trend of "stuff my students say," I am going with this dialogue from a conference with an ENGL 102 student.

[Student explains that her draft is the first "complete" version. She pushed on through and got it out.] 

Me: That's great--it's good to get there and you still have lots of time. How does that feel?

[long pause]

Student: Dead. 

Linguistically, grammatically...it doesn't work as an answer. But baby, it sure worked to express what she was feeling. She's a high school senior who is doing too much. She is tired. But she has her sense of humor and we laughed about it.

And the paper will be fine. 

The way we laughed...

9 April 2025: This afternoon I met with one of my favorite students, who I'll just call J., to talk about his capstone paper. It's a big, complicated, and smart project about Catcher in the Rye and Go Tell It on the Mountain, specifically about how their protagonists are able to move through the world (or not). 

I haven't read the Baldwin novel, so I was relying on him explaining it to me. Discussing how both protagnoists perform masculinity or are challenged about how well they are doing it, I tried to echo back what I thought he was saying. I said something like, "And that's harder for John because...well, Holden's biggest problem there is that he's kind of a...nerd? But John--he's gay..."

J. responded, "Exactly! I mean, I'd rather be a nerd than gay..."

There's a bit of a pause and I realize we are both thinking it. J. finishes his thought, "But I'm both!" 

The way we laughed! "I wasn't gonna say it," I tell him.

I just adore this kid. He's bright, funny, kind, and so unapologetically himself. 

"like wearing shoes that don't fit..."

8 April 2025: One cool experience this semester has been working with English 102 students who are athletes and seeing them write about their sport in language that reveals their deep knowledge of it. I love seeing them slide into a discourse they know so well. 

Today I was working with a soccer play on her essay on the use of VAR. She is opposed to it, for reasons that are not exactly logical, but still quite compelling, philosophical, and just interesting. At one point, she used a "fancy" word ("elucidate") and it kind of delighted me, so I commented on it. I think she thought I was teasing her or calling her out on it. "Sometimes when I use a word like that," she said, "I feel weird about it...like I'm wearing shoes that don't fit." I insisted that I understood, but she used it right and shouldn't feel weird.

The cool analogy she used--"like wearing shoes that don't fit"--has been on my mind on and off all day. I eventually realized that for a soccer player, that similie carries some extra weight.  

"tragically becalmed"

7 April 2025: I’ve written lots before about how ENGL 204 is my favorite class to teach. There are lots of reasons, but a major one is that you get students from all different majors and backgrounds. This semester, I’ve got another great batch, including a Biology major who immediately got on my radar for his incredibly insightful comments. Science students who also excel at the humanities give me such hope. I wasn’t surprised to see this kid’s name on the list of this year’s McMurran Scholars.

Anyway, today in class, day one of discussing A Streetcar Named Desire, I was talking through some biographical info about Tennessee Williams, including how his sister’s experience—including a lobotomy—might have impacted the way he writes his most memorable female characters. This particular student brought to my attention a phrase I had previously overlooked in reading and re-reading the anthology’s introduction to the play: “tragically becalmed.” (Frustratingly, the introduction puts it in quotation marks, but doesn’t attribute it.) “That really got to me,” the student said, “that phrase ‘tragically becalmed.’” 

You see what I mean, don’t you? What a phrase--achingly powerful. And this student--he saw it. This is a special young man. A sensitive and careful and smart reader who made me think about this text in new ways. It’s just a privilege to get to work with people like him.

The Friend

6 April 2025: I wasn't sure what to expect from The Friend, but I really enjoyed it--even as it made me sob. I told Amy after that maybe one of my favorite genres is "smart classy people in New York showing how lovely it would be to live there." Add some deep meditations on complicated relationships, writing, and pets? I am seated. 

Redbud 2025

4 April 2025:

[Catch-up post]

The best tree in my yard hit its stride on Saturday. Just breath-taking.

Morning watch...

4 April 2025: Especially when she was little, Jo had this habit of leaping on my shoulder in the morning when I opened the curtains. She would then stretch forward and survey the neighborhood. 

I thought she had outgrown it, but this morning she startled me all over again. (My hair is wet--hadn't dried it yet.) 

Once she gave me the "all clear," I was free to finish getting ready and start the rest of my day. 

Room with a view...

3 April 2025: Can't argue with the view out of the home office window this time of year.

Stadium Tree

2 April 2025: I started my walk this morning in maybe not the best mood, though it's hard to say why. I couldn't help but notice, though, how the morning sun was coloring the sky (especially just beyond the Potomac, though I didn't get a picture of that). As I came to the top of the hill near Ram Stadium, I stopped to admire this tree, doing its thing this year like it does every year, with that pretty light in the backgroud. It didn't fix everything, but it sure didn't hurt. 

Running Out of Air

1 April 2025: Got to hear a former student read from her debut novel on campus this evening. Another chance to just marvel at how lucky I am to get to do what I do.