Suprise Me

Windows fogged, bad shocks rocking, breathing like final breaths on a battlefield, bucket seats belong on kayaks, Danny Kaye got rich and nobody knew what he looked like. Read More

This time I was prepared. I knew what they wanted: not only smarts, but big energy, personality plus. Read More

Professor watches amazed as 16 students disappear into broadband stream Read More

What can be more dangerous THAN THIS VERY MOMENT?  WHO can be more dangerous in THIS PRESENT MOMENT?     I used to kill insects when I was little, (still do at times (but I’m working on it)) Once, when I was a teacher, I had to march  10 blocks up a West Orange Township… Read More

I kept listening for the tick of the biological clock, but it never ticked. Read More

I just did an inventory:  81. Read More

If I may steal from Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. 2017 had a lot of both, beginning with the still surreal inauguration of the Orange Monster. I keep thinking he has struck a new low, but he keeps surprising me. I made sure to stay occupied and… Read More

The Children's Room became my domain. This is where I first started reading about Beezus and Ramona, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle, Amelia Earhart, Emma Lazarus,The All-of-a-Kind Family, Charlotte, Nancy Drew, and the magic stories of Edward Eager. Read More

User Manual Although my son says only wimps read directions,  I really need them to assemble mechanical stuff that I buy. Just recently Florida friends sent us a crate of oranges.  We had an old citrus juicer that didn’t work very well,  and so now with all those oranges to squeeze I decided it was… Read More

Teacher Strike In September 1968 I was a newly minted school librarian working in a New York City public high school when my union,  the United Federation of Teachers (UFT),  then led by Al Shanker,  voted to strike.  I joined the picket line. The strike followed a confrontation between a newly established community-controlled school board… Read More