The Uterus Monologues

Posted on May 7, 2022May 7, 2022 by Jenny

The title of this piece is inspired by the Eve Ensler play The Vagina Monologues. Oh shit, the condom just broke. What even happened last night? The last thing I remember is going to the bathroom, and the guy sitting at the bar had bought me a drink when I got back. Thank God the kids are both at sleepovers tonight. Finally, we get a night alone. I never should have given in to my boyfriend pressuring me to have sex. Now everyone in school is calling me a slut. Wait a second. Did...

COVID Is Not “Just a Cold”

Posted on January 5, 2022January 6, 2022 by Jenny

You’ve probably noticed that I didn’t write as frequently in 2021. While I’m still active on Twitter, blog posts take more time and energy for researching, gathering data and links, and crafting the right words (and just the right amount of snark). For nearly a year, though, my energy has been sapped - by long COVID. My husband and I, who have worked in-person for the duration of the pandemic, became ill with COVID in late February 2021. We had different sets of symptoms, but thankfully, it ...

Let’s Keep Our Eye On the Ball

Posted on September 26, 2021September 26, 2021 by Jenny

Yesterday, my heart felt warm and fuzzy as I read a post in a local Howard County Facebook group thanking the Hammond High School marching band for supporting the Wilde Lake High School marching band at the football game at the Lake this past Friday night. The HaHS band members cheered in support and joined the WLHS band in the stands to enjoy the game together. It was a classy and wonderful display of sportsmanship and support for a fellow HoCo school. Thank you, Hammond, for demonstrating kin...

Is Civility Always the Answer?

Posted on March 13, 2021March 13, 2021 by Jenny

I have a t-shirt that says "I have red hair because God knew I needed a warning label." Ain't that the truth. There's been a lot going on in Howard County over the past few weeks. If you don't know what I mean, count yourself lucky. Suffice it to say there's been an awful lot of bad-faith acting going on, a lot of it occurring on social media. And because it's Howard County, a lot of folks have been reminding each other to "choose civility." Sometimes this slogan is deployed with good...

Power Plays and Penalty Kills

Posted on February 7, 2021February 7, 2021 by Jenny

Everyone in my household plays ice hockey, except me. I spend a good bit of time cheering on the menfolk with frozen toes and chattering teeth, and I enjoy it. In my relatively short career as a hockey mom, I've come to find that there's a lot about American youth sports that annoys me. It hasn't always been clear exactly what it is about it that irks me so much, but I realized recently that some of the same inequities and constructs I dislike about American K-12 education exist in youth s...