While a riot rages, I walk down the street muttering--mostly listing to myself things that give me joy. I am aware of the violence but try to ignore it. Sometimes a passerby overhears me and we share a smile. Then I continue through the chaos. This is Twitter.

Drove by a fire station and there were firemen in the parking lot. So many mustaches.

Fact: you never realize how disgustingly dirty your fridge is until you empty it.

Notes like this crack me up. Every couple years I get tagged because someone is upset with Sheehy Auto. Guess I'm glad I don't sell cars.

Eight months after releasing two new books, it is clear Cormac McCarthy is no longer one of the greatest living writers in America.

First line of student's essay: "All my life I've wondered the same thing: if I get bitten by an animal, do I gain the powers of said animal?" I imagine I'd enjoy teaching college students, but I don't see how I'd enjoy them more than high school students.

I had an exchange student from France this year and one thing that surprised her most about America was how we used the computer for everything in school. She's looking forward to writing by hand again when she returns to France!

Today is the last day of school for me this year. Thus ends my teaching on the block schedule (90-minute periods). It has been a good 18-year run, and I am convinced I am a better teacher for learning to teach in "the block."

I'm going to give away the secret to any good I do as a writing teacher in the second half of this tweet: I believe my students are interesting. Which means their writing can be interesting too.

When I ask students to submit a revised version of an essay, I open up the old version on one screen and the new one on another. Then I scan the ends of the paragraphs--if the last word lines up with the line above it the same in both copies, why bother reading the new version?

I highly recommend this essay, about the AP Eng. lang exam: "I’m sure you’ll be happy to know that this exam is indeed an accurate reflection of your college fate in that it was unreasonably expensive and completely useless for about half the students who take it."

I do not understand anyone who does not understand how the Celtics managed to lose Game 7 after coming back from 0-3. They were in fact the team that managed to go down 0-3, were they not?

Denver in no more than five.

Here's how it works with the Miami Heat: They beat you and you are ashamed and in your shame you feel a need to act, so you fire your head coach. Joe Mazzulla, you in trouble.

David's shocked because he apparently hasn't watched the Celtics much. This team is anxiety-inducing 100% of the time.

While listening to the @CloseReadsPod try to extract value out of the Custom House introduction to the Scarlet Letter, I shouted from the bleachers, "It's the worst chapter in all of Literature-dom. Don't defend it!" They didn't hear me.

Bought something online yesterday. I wonder if the Amazon house-elves work on Memorial Day and will ship it today?

Here's a thread different from any other I've read lately. Leave it to a poet to not only notice strange juxtapositions but to live them out.

One thing I have always found strange about teaching where I do is how I learn about my salary changes in the newspaper. You'd think someone would want to bear the good news when we get a raise, but I guess not. Turns out I'm getting one, though! rapidcityjournal.com/news/ra…