Rebecca’s Reflections
Climbing My Way to Mars
“You take Jupiter, and I’ll take Saturn.” We were studying the solar system in our fourth-grade class, and Linda thought we ought to create the different planets in our houses. We wouldn’t do all the planets. I mean, who wanted to recreate Uranus anyway? We planned to...
Basement Dreams
The recent flood in my St. Louis house has put me in mind of other houses I have lived in along the way. Houses are so much more than shelters. They are more than prized possessions. They are containers of memories. The houses we have lived in and left shape the...
The Road Taken
Lately I have been receiving emails with job announcements—not for my students but for me. Rebecca: Washington University in St. Louis jobs and others we think you will like!! Amazon Driver! Flex-time options. Valvoline Lube Technician Anheuser-Busch Machinist With...
Flood of Losses, Mountain of Riches
The ping of a text message drilled into my ear. I was drifting along a wave of dreams, enjoying the sounds of morning gradually overtake my mountain house—the summer insects, the birds, the drip, drip from last night’s rain. If I answered the text, I would have to...
The Mistakes I Made on My First Trip to Japan!
Overheated, overdressed, and definitely over the idea of traveling with my parents, I plopped down on my suitcase right there on the platform of Ueno Station in Tokyo, Japan. My suitcase was a bright red hard vinyl rectangle. It was part of a matching set that I’d...
Winning by Losing: Why I Enjoyed Running Races in Japan
Japan is a great place to run races. People are generally supportive of runners and racers and are eager to cheer even the slowest on the field. Years ago, when I lived in Mitaka, Tokyo, I ran a lot of short-distance road races. Inspired by the encouragement of the...