A Different Kind of “Christmas Cheer

I love my job!  Since 2011, when I left the corporate world to become a teacher of English as a Second Language, I have probably learned as much or perhaps more from my students as they have learned from me.  In addition to learning the language, many immigrants to the United States are also anxious … Continue reading →

Accentuating the Negative? The Quora Chronicles Part 2

“You got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positiveE-lim-i-nate the negativeAnd latch on to the affirmativeDon’t mess with Mr. In-betweenYou got to spread joy up to the maximumBring gloom down to the minimumAnd have faith, or pandemoniumLiable to walk upon the scene.” (Arlen & Mercer, 1944) With its relentlessly upbeat lyrics, it is fairly ironic that Arlen and … Continue reading →

Who Am I?

I had always hated group sharing in school – always.  The other students were too dull, too immature, and just too slow, both literally and figuratively.  Being perceived as “really smart”, especially as a little black girl, from a working-class family, in a working-class city was both a blessing and a curse.  The was a … Continue reading →

The Quora Chronicles – Part 1

Sometimes, when I’m either bored or simply a victim of falling down the rabbit hole of the internet (usually quite late at night when I should be sleeping but simply can’t) I tend to pass the time reading, sometimes responding to, and occasionally posting questions on Quora. For the uninitiated Quora (according to it’s “official” … Continue reading →

Starting My “Bucket List”

Since turning 60 earlier this year, I’ve naturally started to think about a “bucket list”. For many people the bucket list is all about places to visit or experiences to have. But as a certified, “bookworm”, “bibliophile”, “reader” or just a straight up nerd, my life, since as far back as I can remember has … Continue reading →

Why We Need Political Correctness Reminder #1

This is me.  Robin Nathania Mathes Peacher Landry.  However, at the time that this picture was taken, my name was simply, Robin Nathania (pronounced by my family as “nuh-than-ee-yuh”,  which I hated and decided to change to “na-tahn-ya” when I realized that it was my name, and I could say it any way that made … Continue reading →

Motherhood Madness

“Freedom’s just another word for, ‘nothin’ left to lose’.”  Janis Joplin expressed this rather pessimistic characterization of “freedom” in the 1971 hit song, Me and Bobby McGee.” And although we, as Americans, seem to enjoy nothing more than boasting about the many freedoms that we enjoy, I suspect that more than a few of us … Continue reading →

Black Church – White Church

Red states and blue states, right wing and left, liberals, conservatives, Republicans, Democrats, Progressives, Independents, Libertarians, Green Party, Trumpers, Never Trumpers, anti-vaxxers, Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, All Lives Matter, Q-Anon, the list goes on and on.  Even though we are supposed to be “one nation under God”, it seems that we, as modern … Continue reading →

Am I Right?

Am I Right?

“Am I right?”  During my ten years as an English instructor , this is probably the most common question I receive from my students, especially when it comes to questions of grammar.  Unfortunately, however, much to the chagrin of my students, the answer is rarely a clear cut, “Yes, you are,” or “No, you’re not.”  … Continue reading →