When I first started this little blog, my attempt was to write every day, my seat in a seat. That didn’t quite pan out as I had planned, although I did manage to put out a few pieces here and there. Truth is, teaching middle school kids and parenting teenagers uses up all my creative…
Postcards for Democracy: Want some?
Originally posted on Sketch Away: Travels with my sketchbook:
So you’re doing your bit, writing to your senator, sending out those postcards. Thank you! Here’s something for you. I turned one of my sketches from the Women’s March into a postcard. Remember this sketch? It’s now a postcard for you to use. And you can…
Resistance is a Sign of Hope
The president signed a tragic executive order yesterday, barring all people from certain Muslim countries from entering the United States. It’s already having devastating effects for people arriving at our nation’s airports. Read about those who are being detained here. We, as a country and as a people, are better than this latest round of executive…
The Women’s March on Washington: The day we ALL showed up
I almost didn’t go. As I get older I find that I hate large crowds and this march promised to be big. My two teenage daughters had seen protests on tv and were afraid that something terrible might happen — and indeed, on the day of the Inauguration, terrible things did happen. But just as…
Merry Everything that’s Holy
After the long, hard slog of autumn, it’s the morning of Christmas Eve. I am a swirl of thoughts and emotions as I face my fears and count my blessings. My older daughter is home from college, having survived her first semester with many triumphs, and my younger one still has that Christmas sparkle in…
There be whales! Voyaging out to the Farallon Islands
This is the year to get out on SF Bay to get a glimpse of whales, those giants of the ocean. In other years, the whales might have proven to be elusive — but for some reason, science-related no doubt, there are pods and pods of them, EVERYWHERE. A group of friends and I headed…
“Good Enough” Parenting
Truth is parenting is done on the fly . . . minute by minute and with no crystal ball. I hate that. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted someone to give me the right and perfect answer — to slip a perfectly folded note under my desk that would help me get…
Let’s Have Coffee and Talk Ideas (inspired by Steven Johnson’s “Where Good Ideas Come From”)
I haven’t written in a while. Sometimes, life is all about getting to work, driving to soccer practice, grading papers, planning lessons, and chopping veggies for something we might call dinner. Sometimes, the doing shoves the word-making, idea-exploring off to the side. And then you have a Saturday morning, where you wake up at 5:00…
Leaving for College: What they don’t tell you
Moms (and Dads), this is for you, as your child leaves for college . . . because someone’s got to tell you. I’ve read blogs and books about the days before your child launches off to college — and they’ve been really instructive. But. You know what they don’t warn you about? They don’t warn…
Where there’s a will . . .
I was so excited when I got tickets to BEAUTIFUL in SF. And then this happened: 6:45 PM Friday night — My daughter and I were just about to watch a movie after eating take-out. It was a long week getting my classroom ready so I was looking forward to time with my rising college…
The Summer of ’16 is Sailing By
The other day, on a day trip to lovely Capitola, we watched a little electric boat being sailed by a quiet boy who stood at the water’s edge. We watched as he motored around, every now and then his boat catching a gentle breeze which took it in a different direction, one not of his…
Reach Out to that Long Lost Friend
I have a challenge for you. This is especially for those of you (us) who are considered to be “middle aged” and who may have lost touch with a friend or two over the years. Find that friend and reach out. I did just that and I’ll tell you, it was just what my heart…
Barbara Ganias Comstock 