Archive for April, 2015

Learning to Translate from Wonk

Posted April 6, 2015 By Dave Thomer

I mentioned earlier that I am teaching a class of 12th graders the AP US Government course. On one level, I am in my element. All the minutiae of government and politics that I have absorbed since I checked out a book about American presidents from the library in third grade can finally be put […]

Evening Walk Musical Interlude

Posted April 5, 2015 By Dave Thomer

Had a great time at Easter brunch with my family. There was a lot of bacon. This evening I took a walk around the corner to get something for Pattie, so I took the opportunity to listen to Neil Finn’s “Flying in the Face of Love,” from his recent album Dizzy Heights. It’s nice to […]

Too Old for This Sort of Thing

Posted April 4, 2015 By Dave Thomer

I’ll be turning 40 this year, which my mother has told me I am not allowed to mention around her. Meanwhile, my daughter will turn 13. Not sure if the universe is trying to tell me something there. At the moment, the biggest thing about the round number is that I won’t have to pause […]

Hoping That Doing It Myself Isn’t DIM

Posted April 3, 2015 By Dave Thomer

I’ve already remarked that I have not had as much time or energy for writing as I would like. In part this is because my teaching assignment changed considerably this year. After teaching 9th graders world history for my first five years as a high school teacher, I have been teaching 12th graders civics and […]

Not Always a Good Fit

Posted April 2, 2015 By Dave Thomer

I didn’t exercise today. I had a bunch of excuses. I was tired. My stomach was bothering me. I had errands to run. I didn’t want to get in anyone’s way in the living room. But they’re only excuses. I could have made it happen, if it had been a higher priority for me. But […]

Never the Same Dave Twice

Posted April 1, 2015 By Dave Thomer

It’s been almost nine years since I finished my dissertation; a little more than six since I finished getting my teaching certification. I spent most of my 20s as a grad student and yet that part of my life is rapidly moving into my proverbial rear-view mirror. I talk about it with my students sometimes, […]