It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through 2021! I’m looking back on my June writing accomplishments in this post, but I’m also looking forward to the second half of this whirlwind year. First of all, just as a refresher (for myself as much as anyone), these were my writing goals for June: Write creativelyContinue reading “June Writing Report”
Author Archives: mjlauthor
Vacation Where You Are
I love to travel. I love planning a trip: figuring out the best places to go, things to see, activities to do, foods to try. I look forward to new sights and experiences. I even like process of traveling itself —all the rigmarole that goes into a long distance trip, transferring from a shuttle toContinue reading “Vacation Where You Are”
Fatherhood: A Charge, Not A Sinecure
Obviously, with it being Father’s Day, what it means to be a father has been on my mind today. I keep mentally circling back to two quotes that resonate a lot with me regarding this topic: “Your kids don’t owe you anything. You chose to have them.” Mike Maples, Jr. That’s a hard pill toContinue reading “Fatherhood: A Charge, Not A Sinecure”
Here to Give
I’ve never imagined myself to be a very ambitious person — oh, sure, I want plenty of things, I hope life will go my way, I dream of wild successes and waves of adulation. But I can’t say I always work hard for what I want. I tend to put a lot of effort intoContinue reading “Here to Give”
Comfort Food
As you’ve probably gathered by now, I think about food a lot. Like, I get super excited about trying different recipes or finding out about a new restaurant in the area. I tend to measure time by counting down to meals. My wife and I plan vacations based on what we’ll eat when we getContinue reading “Comfort Food”
Summer Session
Like most teachers, I love the summer. It’s a time for rest, rejuvenation, and refocusing. I won’t whine about the “Myth of the Teacher’s Easy Summer” — certainly many of my colleagues work very hard planning for the next school year, taking classes, participating in committees, and engaging in all the behind-the-scenes effort that keepsContinue reading “Summer Session”
May Writing Reflection
The numbers are in! For May, I had several writing goals, and I tried a lot of new things to motivate myself and hold myself accountable. First of all, here were my guidelines for May: Write creatively every day Keep track of daily word counts Try voice-to-text to increase productivity “Pay” myself a penny aContinue reading “May Writing Reflection”
Veggin’ Out
Summer is a time for cookouts at my house — I’ll fire up the grill for any occasion: a family gathering, hanging with friends, or just because I don’t want to use the stove. I love preparing the food, getting everything cooked to the right temperature, and having friends and family enjoy a meal onContinue reading “Veggin’ Out”
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…
This school year, to share a little more about myself with my students, I created this project called “Mr. Lau’s Obsessions.” It’s basically a series of Google Slides with pictures of topics, objects, places, and activities I have been interested in over the course of the year. To wrap up this crazy year, I’m encouragingContinue reading “These Are a Few of My Favorite Things…”
Speaking of Podcasts…
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably tried to shoehorn a podcast reference into whatever conversation you’re trying to have. I have a half-hour commute to and from work each day, and podcasts have been my reliable companion on the road. This sometimes means the only things I want to talk about are the “discussions”Continue reading “Speaking of Podcasts…”
M. J. Lau 