AmiMaxine

Not My Normal Kind of Post: PSA

Every year (meaning the start of the academic year, which for my school is mid-August), we (the faculty and staff) are tasked with taking a number of trainings: Ethics, Title IX, and cybersecurity. Every year while doing that last one, I can’t help but wonder how these scams ever work. Doesn’t everyone know not toContinue reading “Not My Normal Kind of Post: PSA”

First Friday Rec: Born a Crime

Title: Born a CrimeAuthor: Trevor NoahGenre: Nonfiction, MemoirPages: 289Publication Date: 15 Nov 2016StoryGraph* Moods: Funny, Emotional, ReflectiveHow I Stumbled Upon This Book: I knew of Trevor Noah, but I first saw it wandering through a bookshopOther Books by this author: It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime (Adapted for Young Readers) and Into the Uncut Grass.*StoryGraphContinue reading “First Friday Rec: Born a Crime”

Baking French Macarons

I love to experiment in the kitchen. To the degree that I have even attempted to make my own cheese and my own mayo (I’m still working on that second one). I like piecing together the puzzle of a new recipe (sometimes for odd things) and then making it my own. Of course, when thatContinue reading “Baking French Macarons”

Forty-Seven Times

Forty -seven semesters now I have stood in front of classes for the first time (whether in person or online). (Should be forty-nine, but there was that one summer I couldn’t teach because I was in Kenya and didn’t have reliable internet, and then I didn’t teach this last summer either.) Forty-seven times I haveContinue reading “Forty-Seven Times”

Visiting Lucy’s Locations

In 2018, I went to Scotland (for the first time…I can say that now 👀😁), and it was somehow more magical than I anticipated it would be. So much so that it inspired a magic realism story – my book Wherever Would I Be. In the book, Lucy visits several of the places I didContinue reading “Visiting Lucy’s Locations”

Andrea Gibson

I’ve been trying to come up with something to say about the death of Andrea Gibson for almost a month, and words continue to fail me. It’s strange, mourning the death of someone you didn’t know very well – but felt like you did. The amount of time I physically spent with Andrea added upContinue reading “Andrea Gibson”

A Return to Pen Players

Earlier this summer, I did something I haven’t done in a really long time – attended a play at Peninsula Players in Door County. It’s somehow been about twenty years (maybe plus a couple more?) since I was last here. When I was a kid (young teen?), a friend of ours, Robert Thompson, told myContinue reading “A Return to Pen Players”

First Friday Rec: A Darker Shade of Magic

Title: A Darker Shade of MagicAuthor: V. E. SchwabGenre: Fantasy, Fiction, AdventurousPages: 413Publication Date: 24 Feb 2015StoryGraph* Moods: Adventurous, Mysterious, DarkHow I Stumbled Upon This Book: Book ClubOther Books by this author: There are many – the others in this specific series are A Gathering of Shadows, A Conjuring of Light, and The Fragile ThreadsContinue reading “First Friday Rec: A Darker Shade of Magic”

The Greenhouse

I love a good café. I’ve certainly not kept that a secret. Any time I travel, I check out at least one local spot (more if I can), check out their mocha or their chai (sometimes both), check out their ambiance. I feel at home in a café, even when I’m far away from it.Continue reading “The Greenhouse”

World Mythology

In the fall, I get to teach a course I’ve been eager to teach for some time – a Humanities class called World Mythology. I’m sure you can figure out what the class will be about based on the title. 🙂 I spent what free time I could find during the end of Spring semesterContinue reading “World Mythology”