Tag: Observation

• The Hierarchy of Everyday Life (According to an Overcaffeinated Educator)

  Nov 13

  Or: A Day in the Life of Someone Who Wakes Up Already Tired Let’s be honest: adulthood is basically a group project where nobody knows what’s going on, and the… more ›

• Epic Quests Require Fries: A Charro’s Story

  Nov 9

  After our performance at the closing of the Cattle Call Rodeo in Brawley, I rolled up to In-N-Out thinking I’d grab a quick bite. The place looked packed to the… more ›

• I Think My Fence Has a Drinking Problem

  Nov 7

  I was outside grilling, enjoying a cold one, just watching the smoke drift up and pretending I knew exactly what I was doing. I take a sip, and out of… more ›

• An Invitation Home: Remembering, Celebrating, and Holding On

  Oct 31

  I’ve known about Día de los Muertos for as long as I can remember. Growing up, it was always there—on the calendar, in the stores, in movies and at school—a… more ›

• Cooking: the world’s most delicious dehydration project

  Oct 20

  Did y’all know that cooking is basically just strategically drying your food to a preferred edible status? That’s it. That’s the whole operation. We’ve spent centuries building cuisines, writing cookbooks,… more ›

• Under the Friday Night Lights

  Oct 12

  There’s something almost magical about a fall night at Calexico High, warm and humid, with a light drizzle turning Belcher Field into a glistening diamond under the Friday night lights.… more ›

• The Curiosity of Curiosity

  Sep 29

  Curiosity is one of the first languages children learn. Long before they master full sentences, they’re pointing, tugging, and asking questions in a hundred different ways—“What’s that?” “Why?” “How come?”… more ›

• 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 ›

• 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 ›

• Grills, Jerseys, and Armchair Geniuses: Why Fall Rules

  Sep 7

  Fall is my favorite season. The summer heat finally packs up and leaves, and cooler weather slides in like a welcome relief. Hoodies return, pumpkins appear everywhere (sometimes in places… 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 ›