Category: Opinions/Editorials
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Looking For a Local Hike? Try Merwin Nature Preserve In Central Illinois
If you’re looking for a fairly easy hike you can do in well under two hours, give the Merwin Nature Preserve a try. My friend, Troy Marcy, recommended Merwin Nature Preserve to us after I asked him to suggest a few local hiking trails. Troy is an incredible nature photographer, so he knows all the…
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HBO, Watchmen, and the Tulsa Massacre
Watchmen is an HBO original series based on a highly regarded graphic novel. It depicts an alternate world where super heroes are real, but most of them are psychologically damaged and ill-prepared to wield the power they utilize. The HBO series picks up thirty years after the graphic novel ends, which I thought was a…
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A Change In Public Education That Must Occur
I started my teaching career in the year 2000. This happened to also be around the time that No Child Left Behind was implemented. Generally speaking, No Child Left Behind said that every child would be prepared to enter college. Schools would be held more accountable. Students would be held more accountable. Academics would become…
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HBO’s The Outsider – A Few Thoughts
I have heard a lot of rave reviews about The Outsider, so once I caved in and subscribed to HBO Max, I made sure that it was among the first shows that I watched. Honestly, I don’t want to tell you too much about the plot because it would be a shame to spoil even…
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ESPN’s The Last Dance – A Few Thoughts
I was born in 1977, so I got to experience the Bulls’ championships while in high school and college, which was pretty cool. I loved the NBA during those years. I remember staying up late on school nights every season during the playoffs to take it all in. When The Last Dance debuted on ESPN,…
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A Teacher’s Thanks To District 87
As many of you know, I teach high school English. (Yes, I am the epitome of the clichéd English teacher who thinks he’s also a writer. It’s true that I even have sports coats with elbow patches.) I wanted to take a moment and thank my employer–District 87. It’s been a long ride with District…
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Netflix’s The Eddy – A Few Thoughts
Though I was skeptical at first, the name Damien Chazelle initially drew me to The Eddy. You may know him from movies he directed like La La Land and First Man, which are two films I very much enjoyed. If you’re unfamiliar with the show’s premise, it features Elliot Udo, a formerly famous American jazz…
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Disney’s Prop Culture Gave Me the Feels
Disney Plus recently released an original series called Prop Culture. In this show, the host visits iconic props from seminal, sometimes historic, Disney movies. My family and I watched the first episode this evening, which focused on Mary Poppins. I’ll be honest with you–I’m not a fan of the original Mary Poppins. I somehow missed…
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Upload – A Few Initial Thoughts About The Amazon Original Series
Generally speaking, I tend to like Amazon Original content. When I saw a new series debut created by the man who brought us The Office, I had to give it a chance. I am currently three episodes in, and I really like Upload. If you’re unfamiliar with the premise, Upload takes place in 2033. It’s…
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What the NBA G League Means For Businesses and Colleges
The NBA’s G League is kind of a like a minor league for the NBA. Players in the G League are considered professionals, and they are paid. However, something very interesting has happened over the last several weeks. Top college prospects are electing to enter the G League rather than going to college for a…
