Category Archives: expectations

Adoption Reading and Resources: The Primal Wound

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

A few months ago, Gorilla Girl was having a hard time in school — major meltdowns, tantrums, and what her teachers describe as “hoarding” — of paper, scraps, class toys. They were concerned partly because Gorilla Girl seemed to hoard … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, expectations, family, motherhood, scars | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Falling off the grid

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Since spring break started, I’ve fallen off the writing wagon.  Spring break has been a long time coming and now that it is here, well, it isn’t quite what I had expected, and the thoughts in my head have not … Continue reading →

Posted in expectations, experience, family, food, lessons, motherhood, transformation | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

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

A cool drink of water

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

I’ve been re-reading Writing A Woman’s Life by Carolyn Heilbrun — it was published in 1988 and re-reading it now makes me realize just how far women have strayed, ambled, run, and yes moved on and from the path of … Continue reading →

Posted in beer, consumerism, expectations, family, feminism, identity, motherhood | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

God, catholics and superheroes

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

On Sunday, my husband was honored with an award for the work he does at a coach at St. Ignatius by an organization called Sports Faith International.  One of his student-athletes nominated him for the Hometown Heroes Award.  As our … Continue reading →

Posted in abortion, adoption, coaching, education, expectations, experience, family, language, lessons | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The mad cap adventures of Princess Belle

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Gorilla Girl’s cousin and aunt sent her a new favorite book for Valentine’s Day — it is called Enchanted Stables and it incorporates three princesses, Belle, Cinderella and Snow White, each in her own mad cap “adventure” involving a horse.  … Continue reading →

Posted in consumerism, expectations, fairy tales, lessons | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Not so pretty in pink

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

Peggy Orenstein’s Schoolgirls, when it was released in 1994, like other feminist works of the 1990s, questioned, probed, revealed, and prompted changes and shifts in education, the work place and social interactions.  Her book, like Myra and David Sadker’s Failing … Continue reading →

Posted in class, consumerism, education, expectations, fairy tales, fraud, gender, identity, language, motherhood | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Too much of a good thing?

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

We lost power the night of the thundersnow, February 1st. We snuggled under the blankets and listened to the transistor radio detailing the troubles of  the lost souls, and cars, on Lake Shore Drive.  It was warm enough and we … Continue reading →

Posted in community, expectations, lessons, motherhood, snow, unexpected gifts, winter | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

On aging: bifocals, or a kick in the teeth?

Posted on January 26, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

When I told my colleague that I had to get bifocals, he laughed, “Wow, that’s a kick in the teeth.” I wondered, was it really that bad to need bifocals at 44? Why is aging in our culture perceived with … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, expectations, growth, memory, motherhood, running, transformation, writing | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Shut up and write

Posted on January 22, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Shut up and write – that is what you have to tell yourself when excuses murmur insidiously to your weary writing fingers. My box of excuses for this week is filled to the brim, and their validity does not trump … Continue reading →

Posted in education, expectations, inspiration, motherhood, writing | 2 Comments