Portland-fied Disney Princess
October 25, 2015
Our first Disney princess showed up in the mail a few weeks ago: Anna from Frozen. A week later came her sister, Elsa. As brands go, it's safe to say that Disney is one of the world’s most pervasive and persuasive. (And I’m pretty sure they know their way in...
Lines over time
October 19, 2015
Our lives unfold in the seasons within seasons, familial moments we return to as the calendar ticks away. Each fall I return to mushroom season, a three-week window my father introduced me to, first with his weekend disappearing acts throughout my childhood then later as his picking partner on the...
…and of course the sky is blue today
September 24, 2015
A few years back, my friend and local writer Stanley Fisher told me about a collection of essays he planned to curate, giving writers a chance to answer the question, "What's your simple pleasure?" Unfortunately for us, Stanley didn't stick around long enough to complete the project--he shipped out of...
Some moments go better with books
September 18, 2015
Sometimes you have to do the following: Drive to Powell's on Hawthorne and buy a book that a friend told you about. Take the book, a notebook and a pen to a quiet pub. Sit at the bar and order something that goes with something else. Split your time reading...
children and poetry: the kids will all write
September 10, 2015
Some 8-year-old boys drool. In the 4 years in which I’ve worked with third graders, at least one boy has drooled in the middle of at least one class. Sometimes it’s from frustration, but mostly it’s a result of over-excitement coupled with a blood sugar spike.This year’s drooler is Ben...