Stories from the Steps

school

  • Vol.1, Chronicle 51

    (FROM 12/16/2022, A GOODBYE LETTER TURNED GENESIS: We all have landmarks on our human journey, significant places or events like Peniel in Genesis for Jacob after a night grappling with an angel or Ray Kinsella in the Iowa corn after… Continue reading

    Vol.1, Chronicle 51

  • Vol.1 Chronicle 50

    (PREAMBLE: This was originally written two years ago today, 12/14/2022. As you read this memory, you might ask yourself, “How tough was she?”. So tough that I made a 99 on a test for misspelling a word. Every test had… Continue reading

    Vol.1 Chronicle 50

  • Vol.1, Chronicle 47, 40 Years…

    40 YEARS, EXITING THE FRIEND ZONE, SHALLOW THOUGHTS FROM THE DEEP END WITH MISS JULIE’S POOL BOY: As MJPB pours the 2nd of his self imposed daily limit of 2 cups of coffee at 5:43 AM, effortlessly ignoring the fact… Continue reading

    Vol.1, Chronicle 47, 40 Years…

  • Vol.1 Chronicle 46

    NOT MUCH TO BE THANKFUL ABOUT(?): These last 5 weeks have been, if not the most challenging period of all my circuits around the sun, they’re certainly in the team picture & according to one that crossed my path this… Continue reading

    Vol.1 Chronicle 46

  • Vol.1 Chronicle 42, Nat’l Coaches Day

    NATIONAL COACHES DAY ‘24, A STUDY IN BLACK AND WHITE OF WHAT YOU NEED: Yesterday, October 6th, was National Coaches Day. I’m intentionally late in posting on October 7th, but we’ll get to that. Coaches do so much that no… Continue reading

    Vol.1 Chronicle 42, Nat’l Coaches Day

  • Vol.1 Chronicle 40

    DUCATS WITH DAD: This was intended to be a rant against overpaid & overhyped coaches, the NIL & Tennessee’s “10% talent fee” on next season’s ticket package. I spent yesterday banging the keyboard between my ears foraging for nouns &… Continue reading

    Vol.1 Chronicle 40

  • Vol.1 Chronicle 38: Farewell 9/2/2021

    CHINSTRAPS & HEROES, A FAREWELL TO JIMMY: I wasn’t expecting to cry today. I especially wasn’t planning on one of those heaving cries that convulses down to the gut. I’d already been a little emotional in dreading next week, a… Continue reading

    Vol.1 Chronicle 38: Farewell 9/2/2021

  • Vol.1, Chronicle 37: Keys, 8/27/1984

    KEYS, A 40 YEAR STORY OF MISS JULIE AND HER POOL BOY: Miss Julie gave me these keys for Christmas 2023. They used to work the locks of Maclellan Gymnasium on the UT-Chattanooga campus. Today, technology has rendered them useless… Continue reading

    Vol.1, Chronicle 37: Keys, 8/27/1984

  • Vol.1, Chronicle 35

    INTROSPECTIVE INSOMNIA, ‘70s ANTENNA TV & MARCIA BRADY, SHALLOW THOUGHTS FROM THE DEEP END WITH MISS JULIE’S POOL BOY: This very Monday, only 3 days from children reporting for academic duty, Miss Julie’s Pool Boy disguised in his normal identity… Continue reading

    Vol.1, Chronicle 35

  • Vol.1, Chronicle 34

    I ALMOST STAYED OUT THE HALLWAY: “Stay out the hallway” was written in black on 2” white athletic tape, advice on a gym door for students where me & Miss Julie voted last Tuesday. That advice in some form, has… Continue reading

    Vol.1, Chronicle 34