Between 1910 and 1970, it is estimated that more than five million African Americans migrated from the rural American South to northern cities. Perhaps, not so surprisingly, I didn’t learn about The Great Migration, until I took Black American History 200 during my sophomore year in college in 1982. Ironically, it was this same year … Continue reading
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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: Surviving Life With a Chronically Impatient Partner
“Arrgh! (Hammering, banging noises). DAMN IT!” These were the sounds I heard from my then boyfriend (now husband) as he was trying to fix a kitchen cabinet in my house as I prepared to put my home on the market due to a job promotion and upcoming move. My yellow labrador retriever, Charlie, kept running … Continue reading
The Second Step: A Second Look
Note: I originally wrote this essay for a freshman-level university course when I was 19 years old back in 1982. I decided to share it here in its original form with commentary at the end as to whether my perspectives have changed at all during the last 40+ years. In looking back over my life, … Continue reading
Silence Isn’t Fatal
Once, during a job interview, I was asked to state how I thought that others would describe me. One particular phrase came to mind, “Well, she seems nice enough, but she’s so quiet!” Now, I suppose if that is the absolute worst thing people can find to say about me, I shouldn’t feel too discouraged. … Continue reading
Things That Make You Go “Hmmm?”
As I write this essay in February 2025, I am shocked to discover that the year 1991 is now thirty-four years in the past! How is that even possible? Now, you might be wondering why it is that I’m thinking specifically about the year 1991. As a Gen-Xer, I was a young working mother in … Continue reading
Who’s the Real Villain?
As I work to improve my Spanish language skills before moving to Mexico in September, I’ve started reading the Spanish editions of many of the stories I enjoyed as a child. Most of the stories bring back wonderful memories of having the stories read to me, by my mother, grandmother, or a beloved teacher at … Continue reading
Opting Out – Is It Doing Our Children More Harm Than Good?
I’ve never been an “outdoorsy” sort of person, especially when the weather is hot (and in North Carolina, where I currently live, it’s hot from late April through early November.) So, one of my hot weather guilty pleasures is to watch YouTube videos of the often out-of-control school board meetings, where parents, students, and sometimes … Continue reading
Do I Really Hate America?
Ever since the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, I have found it increasingly curious to understand why the Make America Great Again (MAGA) crowd, who largely condone the skirmish at the U.S. Capitol, accuses those on the left of being anti-American. Politically, I would label myself as a Progressive Democrat, and although … Continue reading
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