All I Remember Was the Food

All I Remember Was the Food

Zombie-walking into my brother’s apartment after a late-night flight, I barely noticed the cookbook on the counter surrounded by root vegetables and greens. I dropped my bags on the guestroom floor and would soon drop myself beside them for a long night’s sleep, but...
The Roadblocks to Solidarity

The Roadblocks to Solidarity

First a city-wide curfew… now this, I groaned. I swear I’m in a warzone or something. And all I hear are those damn choppers. With news and police helicopters whirring above me I was driving my usual route to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore under most...
A Message of Hope in the Desert of Fear

A Message of Hope in the Desert of Fear

Being a news junkie today is to be hit daily by an avalanche of bad news, a lot of it sensationalistic. News of mass shootings, deportations of the parents of young children, and the rise in hateful speech – so casually spewed – often overwhelm me. That is...
We Wants the Redhead?

We Wants the Redhead?

“Ye come seekin’ adventure and salty old pirates, eh? Sure, you come to the proper place. But keep a weather eye open, mates, and hold on tight—with both hands, if you please. There be squalls ahead! And Davy Jones waiting for them what don’t obey. And mark well me...
The Millennial Spider-Man

The Millennial Spider-Man

I sat on the edge of my seat awaiting the opening credits of the third incarnation of Spider-Man. The first Spider-Man taught us that superhero movies could hold a dominant place in Hollywood. The Amazing Spider-Man brought us closer to the Peter Parker—Spider-Man’s...
When I Drink

When I Drink

“Okay, mijo, make the number three with your fingers and hold them together.” My grandfather’s hard, gruff voice could cause a nine-year-old to quiver. “Place your fingers at the bottom of the glass, like this,” he guides my hand to do what he’s describing. The...
Speaking of My Students

Speaking of My Students

I. On the day that I sat down for lunch with Tori, I didn’t have a plan in mind.  Tori is one of my most energetic and inquisitive Algebra students, as well as my youngest.  I had asked her if we could have lunch together sometime; as her teacher, I wanted to get to...
The Mesmerizing Majesty of Game of Thrones

The Mesmerizing Majesty of Game of Thrones

The lights went off, the surround sound was cranked up. As soon as the intro music was heard, everyone started salivating and humming along to the powerful wind instruments. We couldn’t just hum, we had to move. We would almost break into some tribal dance as we...