Author Archives: Kathy

Causes, Again

I’ve been reading How Dysfunctional Families Spur Mental Disorders: A Balanced Approach to Resolve Problems and Reconcile Relationships by Dr. David M. Allen, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr. Allen asserts that drug … Continue reading

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Splitting

I’ve just finished a new memoir, Loud in the House of Myself: Memoir of a Strange Girl, by Stacy Pershall, who’s been diagnosed with both bipolar and borderline personality disorders. It’s a harrowing account of self harm and suicide attempts, miserable … Continue reading

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Phonemic Awareness, Etc.

One of my favorite writers, James Herndon, wrote this in How to Survive in Your Native Land (1971): “What stops you [from reading] is people teaching you skills and calling those skills ‘reading,’ which they are not, and giving you … Continue reading

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Stigma Redux

I just finished reading Sara Gruen’s bestselling novel Water for Elephants. It’s an enjoyable read, and she did an impressive amount of research. It’s fun and dumb. Thinking over the ending, I was reminded of my redemptive violence post. Since … Continue reading

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Half the Deed

I fixed the zippers on three pairs of pants yesterday, which had previously been held up by safety pins. (Possibly too much information, I know.) For months, I had contemplated picking up a zipper repair kit at Jo-Ann Fabrics. I … Continue reading

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Waiting for Godoprah

Yesterday I had an amusing point/counterpoint experience. I saw Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot for the first time. Then I watched the last episode of Oprah. Seeing these two back to back is enough to give you whiplash. Nobody knows … Continue reading

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The Myth of Redemptive Violence

I guess I’m not the first to note that violence pervades our culture. Iraq, the streets of Cleveland, cop shows – everywhere you look, there’s killing. And somehow, those responsible for violence always find a way to justify it. “Thugs” deserve to … Continue reading

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More on Dads

Yesterday was the 40th anniversary of my dad’s death. In his memory, I’m posting an essay I wrote years ago for Northern Ohio Live about him and his wheelchair. It’s also woven into my book Missing.                                             ********************************** My father’s … Continue reading

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Stan the Man

I recently read a brisk discussion on Facebook about whether Democrats could be friends with Republicans. Many posters, liberals all, felt that Republicans are just too close-minded and cold-hearted to be friends with. Republicans are other. Before I married John, … Continue reading

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Nolite Credere Internet

I warn my students not to trust the internet. Last week, I received a student essay with this quotation, attributed to the English poet John Dryden, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.”  That doesn’t sound like Dryden, I … Continue reading

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