Author Archives: Kathy

If Doggies Could Write

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Kathy

I learned recently that the GED test has dropped its poetry section, which used to be included in the reading portion, called Reasoning Through Language Arts. Which reminds me that my parents were amused, back in the sixties, at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized, Wednesday Word | Tagged | 3 Comments

Success!

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Kathy

I’m very happy to report that the young man I called Andre (see previous post) has earned his GED by passing the science portion of the test. No doubt his success was due to my facility with the work-energy theorem … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Laws of Motion

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Kathy

To protect his privacy, I’ll call him Andre and just say that he hails from a French-speaking African country. I’d guess that Andre is in his mid to late twenties. Last month, I worked with Andre in the GED tutoring … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Whose Right Is It, Anyway?

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Kathy

The weeds are my sweet spot, etymologically speaking, and so we’re wading in. The subject is a constitutional principle that came up in the news today. In a Senate hearing, Kristi Noem, the head of Homeland Security in the Trump … Continue reading →

Posted in Wednesday Word | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Fan Mail, Reversed

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Kathy

Circa September, 1976, I received an astonishing postcard in the mail. Its handwriting was unfamiliar, the postmark said “Bellingham, Washington,” and it was signed, apparently, by Annie Dillard, my favorite writer. Or certainly one of the top five. I knew … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized, Weekend Editions | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Arabic Words in the News!

Posted on May 17, 2025 by Kathy

The English word tariff dates from the late sixteenth century. It referred to an arithmetical table or an official list of custom duties and derived from the Italian tariffa, meaning “a price or assessment.” That word came from the Latin … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Wednesday Word | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Albatross Around Our Neck

Posted on May 7, 2025 by Kathy

Who knew Alcatraz, the former prison in the San Francisco Bay, would be in the news, like so many other improbable and repellent items entering our consciousnesses these days? Alcatraz, at least, has two (nearly) redeeming features: one, the name … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Uncategorized, Wednesday Word | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Telling a True Story

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Kathy

Tricia Springstubb’s new novel tells a true story, only in fictional disguise. Her heroine Amber, a sixth grader, is smart but ordinary, cute but not gorgeous, and quietly funny. She has two best friends. Lottie is brainy, and Mariah is … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

More about Science

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Kathy

Hydrogen’s chemical symbol is H, and oxygen’s is O. This sensible state of affairs makes Chemistry 101 a little easier (for us English speakers) than it might otherwise be. The periodic table is not always so self-explanatory, however. You probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized, Wednesday Word | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Damocles in the News

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Kathy

Now and again, classical derivatives and mythological allusions arise in the news cycle. Regarding the case of New York mayor Eric Adams, the sword of Damocles keeps recurring in pundit parlance. First, to review the news story so far, Mayor … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Wednesday Word | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment