Retirement Goals

Today I was driving through the pulga area of Stark (if you're familiar with east Multnomah county you know where I mean) and I saw two older gentlemen crossing the street dressed in button up western tops, cowboy hats and boots. They looked a bit like mi suegro and I loved them instantly. I don't…

Earthly Treasures

Not feeling well today. Just a bit tired and nauseous. Could very well be the result of a puking kid in my care on Friday. Still, the little bit of blue sky amongst the shades of gray and the mild weather were calling to me, so I took a little walk to the nearby park.…

What’s in a Name? My Name, To Be Exact.

The story of how I got my name goes like this: When my dad was growing up there was a cute girl he knew. If I remember right, she lived across the small river that cut through the canyon and on which both long term and vacation homes hugged the banks. My father grew up…

Consumed

The cancer that robs, A cool supple hand reaching To stop the breath to lungs, Tightens the chest, Burns the throat. If art is created in the forest And no one sees it, Says, “that is phenomenal,” “you have talent,” “make more.” Is it still art? Do you paint the loneliness? Write the empty or…

T-Money and His Zones

This will be short-ish, but first, a little background:A student I work with, we’ll call him T-Money because that’s our real-life nickname for him, is severely impacted by a few things, but mostly ASD. He is non-verbal, but very proficient with his talker. He is a great speller and prefers to type out long sentences…