Category Archives: affluence

By Nightfall: Michael Cunningham

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Michael Cunningham is one of my favorite authors, and his books, The Hours and Specimen Days, are two that I have come back to when I want to think more deeply about the conditions of modern lives. Cunningham’s characters, even … Continue reading →

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Class matters

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

School has started and with all the excitement of the new school year also comes some anxiety — from kids about homework, getting good grades, preparing for high school (and some of them for college).  Parents, too, have anxieties about … Continue reading →

Posted in affluence, class, community, connection, education, identity, lessons, race, teaching | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Looking a gift horse in the mouth

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

We are moving my mother-in-law into our apartment, and in the process, we’ve been giving away, or attempting to give away, various items that we no longer have the space to keep.  I’ve posted the items we want to give … Continue reading →

Posted in affluence, community, expectations, neighbors, unexpected gifts | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Look, it’s the “M” store!

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Gorilla Girl and Monkey Man call McDonald’s the “M” store when they see the impossibly huge and ubiquitous highway signs. They remain blissfully ignorant of the desires created by the fast food giant, and I want to keep it that … Continue reading →

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Silver Beach — No Silver Lining

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

We’ve been spending time in St. Joseph, Michigan at the Children’s Museum which happens to house a large carousel, artifacts and a miniature replica of the original Coney-Island Like Silver Beach Amusement Park.  Gorilla Girl loves the carousel, and its … Continue reading →

Posted in affluence, identity, language, lessons, nostalgia, race | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Like mice on the wheel

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

After a long day of teaching 7th graders, and then attending a union meeting in preparation for contract negotiations, I attended my school’s screening of the film, The Race to Nowhere.  I had heard mixed reviews about this film from … Continue reading →

Posted in affluence, education, expectations, family, teaching, teen stress | Tagged , , | 3 Comments