April is Poetry Month: Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bishop Sonnet I am in need of music that would flow Over my fretful, feeling finger-tips, Over my bitter-tainted, trembling lips, With melody, deep, clear, and liquid-slow. Oh, for the healing swaying, old and low, Of some song sung … Continue reading

Standardization, Administration, & Other Bollocky Things

Mamacita says:  Beethoven and Rodin would never make it in an American public school these days. Neither would Lincoln, or Clara Barton, or Thomas Jefferson. Nor Einstein. Or Edison. Administrators have forgotten that ultimately, our culture will be judged on … Continue reading

Every Day Is Grammar Day

Mamacita says: Every day is grammar day for people who know how to use their own language correctly.  This, of course, should be everyone who lives in any given country, and it is, for most countries. Except ours. The sad … Continue reading

"I Base Most Of My Fashion Sense on What Doesn't Itch"

Mamacita says:  I’d like to tell you that my fashion sense has improved since I wrote this post so long ago, but even though I’ve awoken somewhat to what people are wearing these days, I’m still a flat-out C minus … Continue reading

Center of the Universe, You Say? I Think Not.

Mamacita says:  All my life I have loathed the expression, “Act your age.” Even as a child I wondered how a person could ‘act’ an age; the best I could ever do was to ‘be’ an age. “Act” always connoted … Continue reading

Elevator Etiquette 101

Mamacita says:  These are, of course, Things Nice People Already Know. Basic Elevator Etiquette for Dummies: 1. Push the appropriate button. If the button is already glowing, do not push it. If you repeatedly push an already-glowing button, everybody will … Continue reading