I hear a train whistle in the distance and the hum of the space heater in the front room. Besides that, it is quiet here. I am back in Texas for only 3 days, a whirlwind trip to keep my drawl strong and my heart in the right place. We arrived yesterday evening and I…
Category: Timed Writing
The End of a Long Day
This has been one of those days… I was up and out of the house by 7:10 for church. Came home and worked with daughter Liz on her personal statement for post law school from 11 – 2:00. Ate a quick lunch with Ray, Liz and our friend, Ian, then watched 1/2 of Silver Linings…
Luna’s Baby Shower
We have just returned from baby Luna’s shower. We hosted this event at Liz’s boyfriend’s parents’ home in Hollywood since their location is central and their living room and dining room are huge. They were gracious to offer their home and we are grateful for their hospitality. We’re also lucky since we had at least…
A Great Make-Ahead Dish: Spinach Manicotti
This is one of those tried and true recipes that you can count on when you want something special. It’s slightly different from stuffed shells. A little prettier. INGREDIENTS: 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry 1/2 cup minced onion 1 egg 2 teaspoons minced…
Doctors, Pregnancy, and Daughter Sarah
I went with daughter Sarah today to two doctors’ appointments. One was to a cardiologist because Sarah’s heart has been beating a little too fast and there was some concern. The doctor came in – a grandfatherly man – and he assured Sarah (and me) that the tests had shown her heart was as healthy…
“How?” by Abraham Sutzkever
Today I helped Rachael with a paper for a UCLA literature course and I read some poetry by Abraham Sutzkever, who is considered by many to be “the greatest poet of the Holocaust.” The poem that we read and analyzed is called “How?” It reads: How? How will you fill your goblet On the day…
Good for Huck Finn
I spent the early part of the day with a student writing an essay about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This is a book I have read several times since I’ve helped many an AP high school student and a few college students write analytical essays about various aspects of the plot, characterization, controlling irony,…
Ojai and the Orange Grove Today
We are heading back to LA from Ojai. It is 7:25 pm and the traffic is moving at a good clip. We’re about an hour from home. The trees at the orange grove have oranges that are still ripening on the branches right alongside white blossoms, many of which are just about to bloom. There…
Emily Dickinson: I Cannot Live With You
I have spent a good deal of today working with one of my students on a paper, which analyzes the poem “I Cannot Live with You.” Dickinson presents a systematic argument of why she cannot live a life with the object of her love. Most of us would go the other way, but not Dickinson…
An Evening with Ira Glass
Tonight we went with friends to see Ira Glass from NPR’s This American Life. This is the second time I’ve heard him speak and it’s always funny and inspirational. For those of you who don’t know This American Life, let me say that it’s one of the best “truth-life” programs on all of radio. We…
20 Minutes a Day 