Skip to main content

Rebirth



In The Maine Woods, Henry David Thoreau writes, "The next dam ‘was about fifteen miles’ farther north, down the Allegash, and it was dead water so far. We had been told in Bangor of a man who lived alone, a sort of hermit, at that dam, to take care of it, who spent his time tossing a bullet from one hand to the other, for want of employment,—as if we might want to call on him. This sort of tit-for-tat intercourse between his two hands, bandying to and fro a leaden subject, seems to have been his symbol for society." This sort of tit-for-tat intercourse … bandying to and fro …

In 2001, I was a newspaper reporter and copy editor who had the opportunity to write a weekly column for the Sports section of The Montana Standard in Butte, Montana. My male colleagues had creative column names and in a bit of jest and a moment of cleverness, "Tiff for Tat" – my weekly column name – was born. For two years I wrote a variety of columns, featuring unique characters who made up the population in Butte (Evel Knieval’s relatives), history-making events (Title IX and its implications 30 years later), and unique challenges (female referees in a male-dominated sector). I was able to write about the individuals behind the athletic scene. I was able to discourse and mull over issues and investigate lives and events … bandying to and fro.

Family obligations and life were causes to leave the field of journalism, deserting "Tiff for Tat" with the dust of that former life. Eleven years later, armed with years of teaching experience, even more years of life experience, a master’s degree in English teaching and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction, and a yearning for learning, "Tiff for Tat" has been reborn. 

Tit for tat
Origin: 1550-60
Noun. With an equivalent given in return.

That brings us to today, this new writing arena, and the purposes of this blog. The guidelines are simple: give back what is received, bandy to and fro, examine symbols in our society. I look forward to sharing with you.

Comments

  1. I love this and will share! Way to present and represent. Proud of you!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Middle Grade Mondays: A Weekly Adventure in Books

Lovers of middle grade books know their transformative power.  Geared toward readers ages 8-12, middle grade stories create a bridge for readers between early chapter books and young adult novels (for more about differences between the types of books, read this Writer’s Digest article).  While the age range does not equate to the age of middle schoolers, the purposes behind middle grade books and what middle school students might learn are often the same: encourage empathy, boost literacy skills, and foster critical thinking.  Recent Middle School Gems to Explore At the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English annual convention, the award committee of the Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children named a winner, five honor books, and eight recommended books. What follows are three middle grade Honor books. ( Link HERE for the complete list of winners ).  Middle Grade Honor Books This novel-in-verse fosters empathy by addressing topics of poverty,...

‘24 Greatest Hits You Might Have Missed

According to Goodreads , I read 432 books in 2024. I am ranked as a Top 1% reviewer. My top genres: children’s fiction, middle grade fiction, and historical fiction. The books on this list include those genres and more.  In reality, I read hundreds of more books than that (I serve on a national book committee, and I don’t rate books that fall in that category until after the awardees are named each November). During the past year I was reintroduced to comics – specifically, those with a Western focus – thrillers, and speculative fiction. Poetry is always a favorite, and I am always trying to read more nonfiction.  If you’re looking to catch up on some middle grade reads that were released in 2024, then check out this list. The best part – these are titles you might have missed.  I will also dip a bit into children’s and young adult fiction, because a good book is a good book, and I want to share those, too. The list is categorized by genre and not ranked in any particular...

Middle Grade Monday: Intersection of Art & Identity

If you have a story to share, then share it.  Three authors – Jonell Joshua, Huda Fahmy, and Sarah Myer – have done just that. They had the opportunity to share about the writing process and craft during their presentation at the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English ( NCTE ) annual convention in Boston this November.  Me with Sarah Myer at NCTE, 2024 While the texts in this post are written for older middle grade and young adult audiences, the teaching tips can be adapted and used by all secondary teachers.  The speakers shared that queer authors and authors of color teach us about craft and writing process, not just about reluctant readers or book bans. What follows is a summary of their books with a link to their websites.    How Do I Draw These Memories? by Jonell Joshua ~ Levine Querido Jonell Joshua spent her childhood traveling between Savannah and New Jersey – living in grandparents’ homes during the times her mother, struggling with mental illne...