“Your English is great for an immigrant. You don’t have that thick African accent.” This is a statement I heard recently that is one of the microaggressions we hear in our everyday lives. It hurts when Mainers think they should put their dogs in the basement when I visit. Or not bring red and white […]
Forecaster opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Battle lines are being drawn and it’s time to fight back
One of the best things I have ever done in my adult life was to become a notary public. I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I do love the little stamp. But no, that’s not the reason why I love being a notary. It’s the weddings! Being a preacher’s daughter, I’ve seen a lot […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Life Unwound: Out of the mouths of babes comes love and acceptance
I know some kids who know some things. I know kids who have not forgotten their in-born innocence, boys who play with dolls and girls who rule their own lives. I know a 9-year-old who played while her dad was at work. When dad came home, he high-fived her and said, “You were awesome today.” […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Sustainably Speaking: Being old in the time of global warming
I have a new friend. Her name is Susan and she lives in Reno, Nevada. We’ve only met once in person when we were serendipitously in Tuscon, Arizona, at the same time last spring. We are both old, both social workers with long careers and both heartbroken. “I didn’t think retirement would look like this, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Through My Lens: Biden needs to keep his promise to refugees
June 20 was World Refugee Day, but unlike the past few years, the number of displaced people surpassed 100 million this year, meaning 1 in 78 people on Earth has been forced to flee their homes. It’s a dramatic milestone that few could have expected a decade ago. President Joe Biden committed to resettling 125,000 […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: No words to describe opposition to pride crosswalk
It’s the irony of it all, the massive, overwhelming, elephant in the room-sized irony of it all, that just baffles me. I am speaking, of course, about the furor and uproar surrounding the intended-to-be-joyous celebration of Pride Month. The voices of opposition say their concern over the pride crosswalk in Brunswick “isn’t homophobia,” it is […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Portland Superintendent’s Notebook: Ending the school year with gratitude
Portland Public Schools has just ended an incredibly challenging school year. On top of the everyday demands of running our schools, we had to cope with COVID surges and a labor shortage that stretched our capacity to run school buses and staff classrooms. Yet I am ending this year with a sense of gratitude – […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Let kids discover the true magic of summer
My social media is flooded with photos of kids I knew as babies, grinning from ear to ear beneath their tasseled caps, ready to leap into what’s next. Graduation season also heralds the arrival of that most anticipated moment – the last day of school. Is there any feeling so wonderful as the possibility of […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Life Unwound: Then and now, father always knows best
Dad. He was right. Maybe 40 years ago, as I trained for a marathon, my right hip started to ache. But I said, “I must run 10 miles this week, 12 coming up soon. I must push on.” Mid-run, my body would burn to quit. But no. My mind insisted: “Go. Take aspirin. Ignore the […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Brunswick Superintendent’s Notebook: Lifelong learning has many rewards
This time of year, I hear a common refrain around the halls of the schools: “School will soon be over, I don’t have to learn anything all summer” or “I’m graduating, I never have to go to class again.” I get it. Shedding the weight of rigid schedules, homework and tests has its appeal, and […]