Ginny never was a gregarious person, but she did enjoy attending a soiree now and then with one of her friends who was determined to break her of her self-imposed isolation. She would go along to get along, but she hated listening to the liars making all sorts of false claims about their love lives,... Continue Reading →
Teaching College Students During a Pandemic is Surreal
When I learned that all instruction was going online, I thought of it as an adventure. But, instead, I find it difficult for students and me. Meeting in Zoom is very different, and keeping their attention in a classroom is hard, but when they are at home with so many distractions, like family, it is... Continue Reading →
Good Golly, Miss Molly!
Between the coronavirus isolation, the level of pollen in the air and on everything outside, and starting to teach online tomorrow, I am feeling overwhelmed. I have had to learn Power Point all over again and a new app, Zoom, for teleconferrencing with students. I have invited my students to meet me twice a week... Continue Reading →
A Child's Hope Never Ends: Sunday Photo Fiction
Photo from Pixabay for the Sunday Photo Fiction Looking through the fence, expecting to see you arrive. Your promises sounded so real that time around. Mama'd told me not to get my hopes up too high. But I couldn't believe that you would let me down. You didn't even call me after the last time,... Continue Reading →
Apart in the Same House: Loving from a Distance
Douglas still works part-time at the local home improvement store, and, even though he is in the at-risk age group, his managers insist he must come to work. Because I have a heart condition and I only have half a left lung, my husband decided that we should stay apart in the same house, to... Continue Reading →
A Travel Lover’s Nightmare
I am having withdrawal symptoms at the thought that traveling the world has basically come to a halt. Being in the age group most likely to die from the coronavirus, Douglas and I had decided to travel in the United States this year by car to see Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Boston. But now,... Continue Reading →
Letting Go of the Pity and Enjoying Life
I played hooky today! I didn't think my fragile ego could survive another student walking out of class during one of my lectures or showing up over 20 minutes late. I didn't write consequences for this behavior in my syllabus, not having dealt with it in other colleges and universities. So, I will have to... Continue Reading →
Knowing When to Set the World Down
I had to sit the world down to keep breathing. Since I was a little girl, I tended to absorb, just like a towel, the hurts of others. I found carrying the pain and sorrow of others the most desirable aspect of a life that seemed to have no other value. I would hug the... Continue Reading →
Teach Even the Ones Who Seem Not to Care!
I am having a back-to-Egypt moment today! My students have their first major paper due tomorrow, a short essay of 4-6 pages. I informed them that I would read drafts, and out of 35 students, only one person sent me a draft. I only hope that they simply don't need my help. It's always hard... Continue Reading →
LET ME EARN MY PAY!
I must learn how to balance my love of writing my blog and a job. I know tens of thousands of you do it every day, but as always, I tend to obsess over getting the teaching right. Therefore, it takes up a lot of my time, even though I only teach two courses. Yet,... Continue Reading →
Help from Heaven 