Archive for
Newsy! Pen Pals Forever + Strawberry Freezer Jam + Secondhand Souls (v.11)
August 24th, 2016
willowwrite@gmail.com
Consider this:
Pen Pals Forever: A Lasting Friendship Born of Pen and Paper
When I was nine years old and growing up in Dunedin, New Zealand, an international pen pal program connected me with a fellow nine-year-old named Lisa in Chicago. Even though our handwritten letters took two weeks to cross hemispheres and international date lines to arrive, we became dedicated pen pals. We shared stories about our families, our pets, our hobbies, our friends. We sent each other photos, capturing our goofy grins when we lost teeth in the 70s and my oversize glasses and her oversize hair in the 80s. Eventually, in our early teens, Lisa and I lost touch. Read more
Newsy! Screen Almighty (Part Two) + Artichoke Parmesan Dip + Symphony for the City of the Dead (v.10)
August 3rd, 2016
willowwrite@gmail.com
Consider this:
Screen Almighty (Part Two):
In Which I Download A New App and Holy Hell Ensues
A friend and I were out for dinner last week and, as almost always happens when I get together with another mom, the conversation turns to our mounting frustration with kids on screens. We agree that Pokemon Go has not assuaged our concerns about excessive screen time, even if our kids are now breathing fresh air as they stare blindly into their phones. Equally unreassuring: the all-new “Gotta Catch ‘Em All!” week-long summer camp promising 10-14 year olds “instruction on how to play the game safely, friendship, swimming, and most importantly: catching them all!” Read more
