Category: reflection

• A Writer’s Manifesto

  Sep 23

  (Or Am I Just Rambling?) I remember, when I was still a teacher, how I answered the question: What makes a good writer? I always said, “Just write every day.… more ›

• Rain, Memories, and Mischief

  Sep 22

  Not too long ago, I wrote about memories and how they have a way of popping up when you least expect them. Maybe it’s because I’m — how shall we… more ›

• The Thing About Palm Trees

  Sep 21

  Palm trees grow in warm places all over the world, but somehow they got branded as California’s signature accessory — like aviator sunglasses for the landscape. They aren’t even native… more ›

• When Memories Come Visit

  Sep 16

  Memories have a way of sneaking up on you. One moment you’re stirring coffee, waiting for the light to change, scrolling through TikTok, and then — suddenly — you’re somewhere… more ›

• Tinkering

  Sep 14

  Once upon a time, every kid was a tinkerer. We learned by unscrewing things, prying them open, poking around inside. Radios, bikes, door hinges, cassette decks — if it rattled,… more ›

• Why We’re Holding the Line on Phones and Dress Code

  Sep 12

  As both a parent and a school administrator, I often stand at the intersection of two worlds. At home, I want my own kids to laugh with their friends, make… more ›

• Between Covers, Beyond Pages — From Reader to Writer and Back

  Sep 9

  Awaiting the publication of my first book has changed something I never expected: the way I hold a book in my hands. I’ve always loved books. As a kid, I… more ›

• Sleeping In: A Universal Law

  Sep 8

  Sleeping in is not a character flaw. It’s not laziness. It’s not poor planning. It is a cosmic law, etched into the fabric of existence—right up there with gravity and… more ›

• The People in Our Lives

  Sep 2

  I got to thinking about friendships recently—not the surface kind, but the ones that quietly (and sometimes loudly) shape who we are. I’m not even sure what sparked it. Maybe… more ›

• The Pause Between Words: How Nothing Becomes Something

  Aug 31

  There are days when I simply cannot think of anything to write. Writer’s block isn’t just the absence of words—it’s a heavy stillness, like standing in a quiet room where… more ›

• On Stage with La Gran Señora

  Aug 24

  Being a mariachi musician, you learn that every gig carries its own rhythm. But this one—this was different. It was more than performing alongside a star.More than shaking the hand… more ›

• First Days Without Cell Phones in School

  Aug 19

  Over the past few years, it’s become obvious: our students were living in two worlds at once—the real world, and the endless scroll. Heads down, thumbs flying, eyes glued to… more ›

• 17 First Days

  Aug 17

  I’ve been an educator for 25 years.The first day of school has always been important—Always special.Always something to celebrate. But 17 of those 25 years carried a different kind of… more ›

• Waking Up, (or Almost Sleeping)

  Aug 17

  Ahhh, sweet slumber. The kind where your body finally stops twitching from yesterday’s chores and the blanket has molded perfectly to your shape. I’m out cold, dreaming of nothing, floating… more ›

• Conversations With That Guy In The Mirror

  Aug 16

  A funny reflection about my reflection. We all have that voice in our heads—the one we consult when making decisions, psyching ourselves up, or talking ourselves out of regrettable choices.… more ›