I never took “social studies.” To this day, I’m not really sure what it even is! But every year when we took the state-standardized test as homeschoolers, my scores – as well as those of my siblings – came back in the 90th percentile or higher for all subjects, including social studies. This had nothing
READ MOREWhile I was in college, I got into a habit that first made me laugh, then gave me pause. When I went to wash my hands, I would simply stick my hands in the sink and, for a split second, wonder why the water didn’t turn on. It was because I hadn’t turned the handle
READ MOREDeath and punctuation share a common function. Both are endings, one marking a completed sentence, the other a completed life. Make metaphors of some punctuation marks, and they can represent certain philosophies regarding the afterlife. A period, for example, might indicate the demise of an atheist, that is, life is over and done with. The
READ MOREA true friendship between spouses is one of the deepest and most beautiful relationships in human life. We don’t always speak of the relationship between married or dating individuals as a friendship, but it can be considered a type of friendship. Thus, any insight into the nature of friendship can shed light on the nature
READ MORESome time ago, I was surprised to see an acquaintance sharing the “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series by Sarah J. Maason social media. This acquaintance is a professing Christian. Maas’ book, on the other hand, is borderline erotica. “You are what you eat,” the popular phrase runs. This originates from French lawyer Jean
READ MORENot so very long ago, school districts and education leaders told us that technology in the classroom was essential to the success of our students. “An iPad on every desk” became the new “chicken in every pot” slogan, as experts tried to convince us that technology could be a panacea for the nation’s test scores.
READ MOREOne of my sons gave me some belated Christmas gifts just as cold and snow clamped down on my little town. Among these was a copy of Alfred Lansing’s “Endurance,” a narrative account of explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 27 who fought for nearly two years to survive the gales, sub-zero temperatures, and
READ MOREEvery Mother’s Day, several enterprising young thought-leaders try to include plant moms and dog moms in the celebration. Thankfully, they’re roundly ridiculed for comparing their pets to human children, or their caretaking experience to the challenges of motherhood. The selfishness of many (although certainly not all) deliberately childless women flares up at the sight of any symptom
READ MORERecently, The Washington Post laid off a third of its newsroom and staff. It’s a monumental act representing the twilight of legacy media, a symbol of the changing information landscape. The one-time gatekeepers of information and “correct opinions” have lost a great deal of credibility, and, with it, profit margins. Jeff Bezos reportedly lost $100
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