As I typed up the last entry, I knew I was forgetting something important. I actually think that it is better it worked out this way. The greatest strength of Kansas and K-State is without a doubt the people there. I had fantastic colleagues each year at K-State and it is an honor and a pleasure to call them friends. Comparing my undergrad ( Read more... )

So I got my Master's Degree and moved back to Cincinnati and now it is time to reflect. First off, I loved teaching. I thought I would enjoy it, but it came so easily to me. Like everyone does, you learn a lot of things the hard way the first time you teach, but from there on, it was very smooth sailing. I was an easy grader and not afraid to ( Read more... )

I just heard the story about a 7th grader in Minnesota who hung herself due to bullying. Her story is hardly uncommon the past couple of years. I think I speak for most people when I say that I'm deeply saddened and outraged by the effects of bullying. As many of you know, I decided to write a novel about bullying. I'm not very far along into ( Read more... )

I know a lot of people who really enjoy watching TV and it is an integral part of their life, I've pretty much always been the opposite. First of all, I'm terrible at watching a show as it is on TV. Part of me cannot and does not want to be tied to doing anything at a particular time on a particular day. It is not that I'm spontaneous (I'm not ( Read more... )

I have been meaning to post something I've written in "real life" for a while now and since I revised this essay it is the first to go up. A couple things you may want to know before you jump in. This is ten pages, double spaced on Word, so pace yourself. If you were in Nonfiction with me, I haven't changed THAT much and it probably isn't worth ( Read more... )

Normally on break I jet set to NYC or Cincinnati, but this time I'm staying here in Manhattan over break because I need to do the following things ( Read more... )

I don't recognize myself anymore. I'm so many different things and not much of it is deliberate. I'll start with what I know I am. First off, I am a private person. For some reason, I take a lot of stock in whatever I decide is genetic (even if I have no clue whether it is scientifically proven). I am one half Lanter and one half Bonert. My ( Read more... )

As I have tried to deal with a seemingly endless amount of work this semester, one thing that I've always kind of known has become increasingly clear. I am a perfectionist. The quiet kind who is not competitive. I just want to do my best all the time without really caring about how anyone else does. Not only that, but I tend to shut down when I ( Read more... )

I was out in Aggieville a bit last night and made quite a few surprising revelations. I would prefer not to walk by myself in a predominantly white bar district in a college town. Part of this comes from being verbally harassed last night (it was relatively minor), but it wasn't just that. The frat bro screams and overwhelming machismo are way ( Read more... )

I will start off with some thievery to prove my title. One of the best pieces of advice I ever received for teaching was: "teachers steal everything." I was told this well before I had ever taught a class (while earning my BA even if I remember right) by a friend and mentor at UC. After two years of teaching, I can say with certainty that Linda ( Read more... )