I used to love going to the movies. In high school and college, the movie theater was my go to location if I was bored. At home, I had a nice collection of VHS tapes (dating myself here) and DVDs that I would watch over and over. Adulthood, career, and marriage didn't slow down my … Continue reading Explosions
Choices
A couple of years ago, my social studies department head asked if I would be interested in representing our school and department at the school district's annual job fair. I work in a large, well respected district. Thousands of people drive fairly long distances in order to have an opportunity to work in our district. I … Continue reading Choices
Backward
When I first began teaching AP US History, I thought I knew a great deal about our nation's history. I was wrong. Partly through completing graduate school, partly from leisure reading, and partly out of necessity, I've learned more about US History in the past nine years than I could possibly teach to my students … Continue reading Backward
Reading
I don't really like to travel. Okay, that's not completely accurate. I enjoy visiting different locations away from home. I just don't enjoy the travelling part of travel. I need to get a teleportation device of some kind to beam me where I want to go. At any rate, I am currently in Louisville, Kentucky … Continue reading Reading
Sunflowers
I love that my kids always want to help me with my garden. Even when they plant the seeds too close together and I have to replant them...even when they step all over the green beans while trying to pick strawberries...even when they freak out at the sight of an earthworm but still want to … Continue reading Sunflowers
S
When my wife and I found out that our first born was going to be a boy, we did what every set of parents does...we tried to pick a name. We could have just named him after me, but I'm a Junior, and I really didn't want a Third. We probably had more difficulties than … Continue reading S
Famous
Not me...my ancestors. I, hopefully, will never be burdened with fame (or infamy).One of the interesting aspects of history for me is studying my own family's past. Now I don't get carried away with genealogy and historical records. I just like to piddle with it every now and then. One of my aunts has traced … Continue reading Famous
Utopia
We started taking the kids to Sweet Tomato when our son was about 3 and our daughter was still small enough we could carry her into the restaurant in her car seat. We figured the food was mostly health and it was already prepared...no waiting around for the food to be delivered to our table. … Continue reading Utopia
Half
Teaching AP US History requires me to deal with unpleasant topics from time to time. Slavery is one of those topics and it basically is an undercurrent of most of the content during the first semester of the course. Typically when I teach about slavery in class, I use the standard historical narrative that goes … Continue reading Half
$1.25
When I was in the second grade, I had a blue pair of KangaROOS sneakers. (Remember those?) I thought they were the coolest thing in the world because they had this little side pocket that zipped up that I could put stuff in...very small stuff, but whatever. They were cool and that’s all I cared … Continue reading $1.25
Reflections Of A Middle Aged Nobody 