We’ve finally reached 2023, henceforward known as The Year of Michael. I know that not everyone grew up in Chicago, a mile from Chicago Stadium (now called United Center). I know that not everyone came of age during the late 1980s and early 1990s. I know that not everyone thought basketball was the only sport…
Author: caritagardiner
209. Why Learn to Bake
When I asked my husband for a Dutch oven for my birthday last summer, he thought he was heading into a trap in which whatever he did would make him a bad husband. If he didn’t get what I requested, he wasn’t listening to me. If he gave it to me, he was filling a…
208. Why Good Trouble
When I had the idea for this post, I didn’t know there was a television show called Good Trouble. It’s apparently a spin-off from The Fosters, which I enjoyed. Maybe I’ll watch it sometime. If you’ve seen it and can recommend or advise against, please let me know. The show has nothing else to do with the…
207. Why You Can’t Delay Making a Decision
I took the image above from a management training study guide about making decisions. It perfectly captures the way I used to think about making decisions, which is that resting on some neutral ground, a person has multiple directions she could choose to go, each of which would lead her to a different place. What…
206. Why Let Yourself Go
Did you know there’s a Green Day song called “Let Yourself Go”? I didn’t. Clicking the photo above should let you listed to it/watch the video, but I don’t recommend doing that if you have or are near someone with innocent ears. It’s got some salty language in it! I looked up the title phrase…
205. Why Grateful Outshines Gifted
The photo above captures many aspects of my life for which I feel incredibly grateful: I’m married to a supportive, thoughtful, fun, loving, smart, handsome, strong, safe, boat-driving husband. I work at a school with amazing people who do great deeds such as organize and participate in the Hotchkiss Swimathon to raise money for the…
204. Why Deal with Our STUFF
The photo above has nothing to do with the post, but isn’t he cute? Also, if you see my dad (RG) or cousin (CW) today, please wish either/both of them a happy birthday. I have a rule in my classroom check-ins that students aren’t allowed to say anything negative, including complaining about stress, workload, and…
203. Why Generations
The photo above isn’t Tuukka. I found it on someone’s Pintrest page. I wanted to post a photo of the generations of my family, but couldn’t find one I liked well enough to publish for eternity. Plus, how cute are Bernese Mountain Dog puppies?! Besides, today’s piece isn’t about my family; it’s about how I…
202. Why PEAR
I like the photo above because it’s a view of dawn across the road from my house. I wish our local governments put resources towards buried electrical and phone lines, but I didn’t include the image to give a message about the benefits of subterranean utilities. Instead, I wanted to talk about daily cycles. Every…
201. Why I’m Writing a PSA
If you’re a teacher or have met a teacher, you know that we get busy from September to June, which is why I usually take care of as many other appointments as I can during the summer. I was scheduled to have my yearly Ob-Gyn exam in June of 2020, but when the world went…