From The Writer’s Almanac, March 29, 2009: Teaching Poetry to 3rd Graders by Gary Short At recess a boy ran to me with a pink rubber ball and asked if I would kick it to him. He handed me the ball, then turned and ran and ran and ran, not turning back until he was [...]

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I’m participating in an all day Write-A-Thon this Saturday in San Diego. No, I did not say Write-A-Thong! Though if it helps me get more pledges I just might wear one! I’m going to be sitting at my laptop for 9 hours, writing. Well, actually about 8 hours and 30 minutes, because i’m also leading [...]

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This week in my Creative Nonfiction class I asked the students to free write about a LIE they once told. We talked about lies– white lies, bold/blatant lies, lies to protect someone, lying to ourselves, lies to make someone feel better, hurtful lies, funny lies. I was quite a liar as a child, though I [...]

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Just sent off my application for the Vermont Studio Center. I’ve never gone, but I’ve gotten partial scholarships in the past. Let’s see how this one goes. They’ve always been very nice, very gracious in their response to me so one of these times i’d love to attend. Ideally, it would be wonderful to take [...]

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Ooof. Long week. But a good one.Started at the second college and also a night class at a writing school downtown. All that and I managed to go to my office and work on my book! This week, amid all of the chaos and driving to and from the schools I got in the mail [...]

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This poem, sent to me by The Writer’s Almanac (list serv), really moved me: Fishing by Kate Scott Sam was a galunky kind of guy, my cousin says. He walked like this. He takes on a bow-legged swagger that makes us laugh. And boy, could he drink beer. He lifts his hand, tipping imaginary cans [...]

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Starting to get crazy busy. I’m at the top of the rollercoaster about to head down. I start teaching at two schools next week and am already teaching at one that started last week. And i’m writing a book. I’m scared. I’m exhilarated. Last night after teaching and then a three hour meeting I came [...]

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I’m so ready for my Winter Break that all I can think of is clichés. Last night were my last two classes. Now just a bit of grading and i’m home free. And, i’ve got so many things I need and want to blog about: My Christmas Wishlist My Winter Break Reads The Things I [...]

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Van Johnson has died (this has been a bad week for classic movie stars!). He was 92. Van Johnson was often described as having “affable charm and boyish good looks.” He was especially good in the MGM musicals of the 1940s, though as a dramatic actor he was often underrated. Here’s Van (and June Allyson–a [...]

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Who will teach me to write? a reader wanted to know. The page, the page, that eternal blankness, the blankness of eternity whiich you cover slowly, affirming time’s scrawl as a right and your daring as a necessity; the page, which you cover woodenly, ruining it, but asserting your freedom and power to act, acknowledging [...]

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