Monthly Archives: November 2010

In praise of honesty: the complexities of adoption

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Scott Simon, host of NPR’s Weekend Edition, released Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other: In Praise of Adoption in late summer 2009; Simon and his wife adopted two girls from China.  A friend told me about the book, suggesting … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, growth, identity, motherhood, race, scars, transformation | 12 Comments

Julia Child in disguise

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

I refer to myself as a survivalist cooker – the normal circumstances under which I cook tend to be for survival and not for enjoyment. However, in Three Oaks, things are different, and during the last several weeks I have … Continue reading →

Posted in autumn, chores, food, transformation | 4 Comments

I’ll take my cheerios dry, if you please

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

This morning, Gorilla Girl wanted her Cheerios in a bag, not a bowl (dry, no milk).  As I was distractedly trying to get myself ready for work, I was also attempting to pour her Cheerios from the bowl into a … Continue reading →

Posted in education, expectations, language, motherhood, teaching | 2 Comments

Against all odds

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Angela Levin published “The Romanian orphan enjoying his first time at Oxford” in the Telegraph on November 11th. I just discovered it thanks to a list serve for adoptive parents. Cornel Hrisca-Munn is studying Philosophy at Oxford now, but he … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, education, expectations, growth, inspiration, motherhood, transformation | 2 Comments

Wear it proudly

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

It will be better by the time you are married — this it what my mom uttered each time I got a scrape, bruise, or sprained an ankle. I spent much of my childhood playing tackle football with boys in … Continue reading →

Posted in expectations, gender, identity, memory, motherhood, scars | 4 Comments

Memories of Mom

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

My mom lived on the edge of a crisis.  Her brother was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when he was in high school, in 1950, and my grandparents lost everything paying the hospital bills.  I never met my uncle since … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, inspiration, memory, motherhood | 6 Comments

Autumn chores

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

This weekend, I raked leaves, probably one of the first times since I was a small child, when my raking was minimally useful. I raked a gigantic pile of them at my house in Michigan.  We have a fairly good-sized … Continue reading →

Posted in autumn, chores, life forms, tranquility | Tagged | 1 Comment

On the road again

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

This weekend, I drove for miles, most of it through central Illinois. Maybe because I was driving Gorilla Girl and Monkey Man who were snoozing on and off, and maybe because I was listening to favorite old songs on my … Continue reading →

Posted in coaching, friends, growth, identity, inspiration, motherhood, transformation, travel | 2 Comments

Commodification of Education

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

On Election night, I watched Frontline’s College, Inc. During the expose, I became more and more animated and upset by what I was learning.  Because I am a teacher who believes in the power of education to change lives, minds … Continue reading →

Posted in education, fraud | 1 Comment

Reason #37 not to pursue a PhD in humanities

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

For anyone who has considered “higher education” as a life goal or who is already struggling to teach  humanities, words of humor and wisdom… Thanks, Ed, for sending this one…

Posted in education, expectations, gender, teaching | 1 Comment