2015, just like that?

I realize I'm nearly a month late to the party where everyone reflected on 2015 and felt all of the feelings. I'm choosing to forgive myself for that.




The year was so, so full. 

In 2015 I felt the relief of having survived my first year at SLA, coupled with the excitement of knowing that I am thriving there. 

I saw the seasons change in Philadelphia and decided I love them all. 

I got back into running after an extended period of being decidedly not into it. I trained with my students and colleagues from the first mile to the finish line at 26.2, and it was worth every minute. 

I traveled to be with my favorite people on Earth and to celebrate these moments in our lives, from Miami to Palm Springs to Lake Tahoe, and many stops in between.

I officiated the wedding ceremony of one of my best friends, and realized how hard it is to put regular words to the most important relationships in our lives. 

We hosted so many friends and family members in our Littlehouse, and got to share with them our favorite things about life in our new city.

I celebrated my first wedding anniversary where favorite person and I made a list not unlike this one while doing our favorite things: brunch, bike rides, and thrift stores.

I learned a lot about taking better care of myself and being a better partner and a more positive presence. 

I continued to discern what matters and to chase those things with all I've got.

I'd call it a pretty good year.



- - - - - - - -




During a memoir-writing unit, I lead students through an activity where I ask them to think of "indelible moments" from their lives. They try to remember the moments that stand out to them -- the people, the faces, the feelings, the sounds, the images. They might be significant life episodes or trivial minutia, but the moments, for whatever reason, are indelible. They're the ones that are still in their brains.

First, I give them a lot of time to brainstorm lists of these memories. I ask them to just jot down the memory, in an incomplete sentence, or in a phrase that might make sense to only them. It might say "toaster on fire" or "Justin's smile" or "Christmas in St. Louis."

Some students inevitably have very long lists, and others very short ones.

They then read their lists to their partners, and from the feedback they receive writers choose which story to tell. They extrapolate the details and tell the story around that indelible moment. And sometimes, that story is the jumping-off point to their final memoir project.

It's a good one, that. Thanks, NWP :)



And so, I did it myself. Here is my list of Indelible Moments.


  • Whole 30 Day One
  • Palm Springs Flea Market
  • Kristin rides a bike
  • Mario Kart
  • The avocado tool
  • Baltimore tandemonium
  • Amtoo's lemons
  • Pinecone
  • Calvin and Brie blooper reel
  • Half-priced lobsters
  • Who knew: Reno is awesome
  • Mat cutter math
  • The PSC locker room

In a dream world I'd write out all of these stories. Maybe someday I will. Let's not rule anything out for 2016.