Tag: anxiety

Why I Sat in the Laundromat a Few Afternoons Ago Reflecting on the Nature of “Invisible” Illness As I Experience It

A few days ago, I read a great article in The Atlantic with the delightfully self-explanatory title "Living with Invisible Illness." This piece of writing has popped into my poor 'ol maybe-concussed head several times since. (Yep, maybe-concussed, but I don't really feel like getting into the particulars of the maybe-concussion. What a life, huh?? What … Continue reading Why I Sat in the Laundromat a Few Afternoons Ago Reflecting on the Nature of “Invisible” Illness As I Experience It →

Grainy Icing on the Proverbial Grocery-Store Cake: Reflections on Laziness (Part I)

One of the words that I apply to myself most liberally is "lazy." (As I wrote that sentence, I began fantasizing about supermarket cake spread thickly with vanilla icing—the fact that I so easily and quickly equate myself with cheap dessert covered with grainy frosting, incidentally my favourite variety, perhaps bears further analysis. The comparison … Continue reading Grainy Icing on the Proverbial Grocery-Store Cake: Reflections on Laziness (Part I) →

Pin Cushion: Reflections on Patient Passivity

Friday morning, I was awoken around six by the voice of a middle-aged woman. I opened one eye just enough to see that she was sporting delightfully over-the-top scrubs, the kind with a cartoon motif that assistants in pediatric dental offices wear. "I'm from the lab, sweetie; I just need to draw some blood." Of course you are. Of course you do. After looking … Continue reading Pin Cushion: Reflections on Patient Passivity →

Stretches: Unreasonable Expectations and Consolation Prizes

So, as many of my Facebook friends (hey guys!) among my readership know, I'm now entering day five of a seizure-free stretch. I at first attributed this amazing development to the annual kickoff of my almost-daily trips to Menchies, but yesterday I got my froyo elsewhere, so there might be—shocker—some actual medical explanation for it. … Continue reading Stretches: Unreasonable Expectations and Consolation Prizes →

Special Skill(s): Reflections on Worst-Case-Scenario Thinking and How Teaching Is Taking Over My Life and Brain

It’s Reading Week, the toned-down, much-colder, Canadian version of Spring Break and a much needed few days to focus on things like not obsessively planning lessons and figuring out who I am as a person when I’m not making PowerPoint presentations. I’ve settled into a bit of a groove now and started to remember why … Continue reading Special Skill(s): Reflections on Worst-Case-Scenario Thinking and How Teaching Is Taking Over My Life and Brain →

“Frazzled University Instructor with Epilepsy” and PowerPoint: A Love Story

Until three weeks ago, I was adamant that I'd never use PowerPoint as a classroom tool. As are many things I pretentiously reject, it was perfectly acceptable for other people, but I was happy with chalk and, you know, my voice. More to the point, I hate change and am technologically inept. And then I … Continue reading “Frazzled University Instructor with Epilepsy” and PowerPoint: A Love Story →