My Cardboard Balcony

Baptism On Groundhog Day by Belinda Roddie If the baby's fully submerged, we get an early spring.

Love Hurts by Belinda Roddie It was the first time I had ever had a legit boyfriend. It was also the first time I had ever had a bromance. We met in my sophomore year of high school, which was a year of ponytails, bad poetry, and pubescent awkwardness. He was my creative writing teacher's TA: Doe-eyed, brown-haired, and usually stoned out of his gourd. His name was Chris, based off his middle name Christian, and he was the son of my former eighth grade physical science teacher - extra awkwardness. He told me he first started to like me after hearing my stories, which, looking back on it, makes me cringe so hard that I almost pull a muscle behind my left eye. He finally started chatting with me at a chili festival my high school hosted in order to support the victims of the tsunami in Sri Lanka, so our first real conversation happened over lukewarm beans, dry beef, and half-congealed cheddar cheese. Clearly, the stars were properly aligned on this day. After constantly sitt...

Ephemera by Belinda Roddie The postcards he collected were signed by his favorite author.

Another week of the new semester down! I actually have quite a few new students now, due to some class changes in my department. It's nice to be able to work with more amazing kids, and my goodness, did I make a lot of puns today in one of my sophomore English classes. I've also gotten a few more compliments from students. One of them said I was "one of the best teachers" they've ever had. And I'm gotten some free cookies and treats from students, too! Teacher tax is the best. I'm also thrilled to have gotten the ball rolling on No Place For Hate, which will allow students to help build strategies and curricula to help make the high school I work at safer and more accepting of minority students. Means more time spent at my job, but so worth it. I've wanted to do this since my last teaching position, so I'm glad it's coming into fruition at this campus. I've been working on some personal storytelling thanks to The Moth, which hosts mon...

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What A View by Belinda Roddie While wearing my new sunglasses, I dwell in perpetual sunset.

Taste Disturbance by Belinda Roddie Pine nuts were the only item on the restaurant's menu.