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.