And just like that, school is out and summer is here.
The nice thing about being a teacher: I get two months off every year to relax and recuperate from the school year. And if you spent all day every day with preteens, you'd need to decompress too.
For years, I wrote only for myself. I hoarded spiral notebooks - three subjects, the perfect thickness - in my bedroom. I covered them with bumper stickers, I wrote every day, nay every hour. Every chance I had. I arrived at math class ten minutes early every morning i...