My Cardboard Balcony

Basic Bitch Powers Activate! by Belinda Roddie It finally happened: I now frequently take pictures of food.

The Zoo by Belinda Roddie Look, they've locked all the beasts in cages, son. They don't have claws or sharp teeth, or mangy fur or evil eyes. But they are crying. God, how the beasts cry. The zookeepers use our dollars to feed them potatoes and water. Potatoes give them all the nutrients they need. No meat for beasts like these. All the heat is gone from their eyes. They don't starve, but they stay at a very light weight. Their ribs protrude like the bars that close them in. The beasts get to play once in a while. Sometimes, they swim in their pools. Sometimes, they play with toys. Sometimes, they communicate with each other, mostly with their hands and with other "gestures." Language left them long ago. Their mouths move. But we can't make sense of it. Most of the time, they sleep. And when they sleep, I believe they dream. They must dream, my boy. They must dream about birthday parties and merry-go-rounds. They must dream about roller coasters, dr...

Good Combo by Belinda Roddie My wife had popcorn and spaghetti for dinner. Life goals.

This week was Teacher Appreciation Week. When you're a high school teacher, you don't really get a lot of gifts or outward thanks from most of your students. It's not that they're not thankful; it's just that, unlike elementary schoolers, they're not being constantly reminded of it anymore. And that's fine. I'm not teaching to receive accolades; I'm teaching to make a difference and help students learn in a safe, open, and creative environment. I did get some very nice emails from a couple of my students, though! Names blotted out for privacy's sake. This student sent this email out to all his teachers, which is nice. This one was just sent out to me. :) In this crazy timeline, these little messages and comments mean the world to me. They're worth more than gold. Because I want to make sure that my students, despite all the chaos of the universe they live, get a steady hand guiding them through their education and providing...

Nuanced Perspectives by Belinda Roddie As we grow older, we tend to realize, after a while, that our accomplishments tend to blur with serious downfalls. I think it's safe to say that the difference between success and failure is very much in the eye of the beholder right now. Based on one's mood, based on one's circumstance...you get the picture. For example: I spent the entirety of today in my pajama shorts, even when I wore a costume for the role of Don Pedro during an online reading of Much Ado About Nothing. Now, is that a major failure, or a major success? My wife and I agree that it was the latter. Sure, finishing a creative project or beating a video game is all well and good. So can eating the rest of the spaghetti in the pot can be a serious triumph. So can sleeping for thirteen hours straight and catching up on shut eye. So can doing a three mile jog or a fifteen minute walk. The possibilities are endless. Find your own victories, lovelies. Even if someone else d...

Drag King Day by Belinda Roddie I love a good excuse to draw on facial hair.

Black Lives Matter by Belinda Roddie Ahmaud Arbery did not deserve to die. Justice for Ahmaud!