Category Archives: Personal

Book Review #5: The Conversations We Never Had by Jeffrey H. Konis A man's dream of a second chance, an author's tribute to a remarkable woman.

I’ve Been Waiting For This Conversation…

The book’s synopsis on the back cover.

Of all the books I’ve reviewed, none initially interested me to the degree of The Conversations We Never Had. Written by Jeffrey H. Konis, this ‘quasi-memoir’ is a unique hybrid of both historical fiction and autobiographical non-fiction. The storyline is told from Konis’ perspective as his younger self, a first generation Jewish-American law student living in Manhattan with his elderly Grandma Ola back in the mid-1980s.

This book is a fictional account of how a young Jeffrey Konis would have learned the details of his incredible family backstory, if he had asked his beloved Grandma Ola to tell him about it before she passed away. A descendant of Eastern European Jews, Konis has a thirst for as much knowledge of his family’s history as possible. But by the mid-1980s, Grandma Ola is the only relative left for him to ask. Why? I knew that answer right away. Us Jews always know why other Jewish families are quite often smaller than most. Continue reading

MIR: The Good, The WTF, and The Alt-Good. Welcome to Life, 2017-Style. It's Been A While.....Time to Catch Up.

It’s been some time since I’ve blogged. Over a month, actually. Why? You could say that life has gotten in my way. Or, more specifically, work.

So. Much. Work.

Report card time can be stressful when you service, IDK, about 60ish students, I am learning. Also, dedicating a week-plus to writing up a detailed report on every kid’s progress to the detriment of sleep, family time, and at times, my sanity, has, plainly, sucked. Plus, after finishing all 60 reports, I then had to enter another round of student observational data, or risk falling behind on that. Because you know, after writing 60 reports, writing 47 more narratives is exactly the kind of wind-down activity I long for.

Yeah. It’s been a rough life, these last few weeks. Continue reading

WIR November 8-November 15: Post-Election Suckage Not A Political Post. Well, not completely. Kinda not.

Twas a horrendous week last week, beginning with a traffic-filled, chock-full-o-illness, fear-inducing Election Day last Tuesday, and ending with gray skies and torrential rainfall this past Tuesday. In short, last Tuesday-Tuesday sucked.

Yes, Axl. I do need some time on my own.

Election Day-last Tuesday pretty much consisted of one crappy incident after another. In fact, plucking 3 highlights out of last Tuesday-Tuesday is going to be a definite challenge, because as of right now, I got nothin.’ Lowlights, however, I got plenty! Sigh. Here is to a better week this week. I gotta believe that.

This small town girl will NOT stop believin,’ Steve Perry.

Though I usually start with 3 highlights, I am at a loss for any possibilities in that area at the current moment. Therefore, I’m going with the yucky stuff first. Continue reading

On Turning 39: I Don’t Yet Feel Bad About My Neck Are You There Middle Age? Its Me, Jill

Age vs. Perception: Turning 39

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lokate366/2733207555/in/photolist-5awpoc-si6Rn5-borBzq-bT81cX-7i6kFz-7i6kbe-93QF6G-jHWmd-7ik9wE-5NkXh8-PBzqZ-7ia9Eu-pL494B-bsor9R-d9gbd9-5wiNNc-9tQjTr-dHVwUg-dYGKXz-7i6fiV-7f9sWi-asUiPM-93QFko-b2Y4Dg-5YqKXF-7ia96j-4WQtgi-48kjFF-9Qjq5x-dBHddC-yeeCw-sidURB-51o3zP-7iaaFC-5LqT6K-922yBy-9vuV3n-6qUJsd-6vvTKN-5hjg2N-9QnfMq-93MALk-iW5Lo-cZKZn-aecZSR-bT81c6-nokpBC-ajeLrw-7b4mrp-6A26Yj

flickr photo by lokate366  shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license

Today, I turn 39 years old.

I certainly do not feel 39 years old, however.

In fact, I still think of myself as a twenty-something, ultra-cool, disenchanted, “fight-the-power,” feminist badass. I mean, I have a nose ring! I love rock n roll! I’m outspoken! Confident! Heck, sometimes, I’m even witty! Continue reading