Jul
31
Haikuage
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A ripple sounds
Ears alert, nose to the air
Stark stillness returns
Jul
26
College Dreams
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This is an older piece, written for The Star-Herald in May 2004 after my brother received his PhD.
On May 25, my younger brother walked across the stage at Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, N.J., and officially became Dr. Jason Woodsome Harger, Ph.D. in molecular genetics.
Not bad for a kid whose first career goal was to be a mailbox. Read more
Jul
24
Another story I wrote this week for The Star-Herald. Not the most exciting of topics, but this is what you do when you’re the newspaper of record.
By Kristine A. Harger
Special to The Star-Herald
PRESQUE ISLE - Thanks to federal stimulus money, SAD 1 will be able to offer free flu shots to students this year. The program was announced at the July 8 SAD 1 board of directors meeting. Read more
Jul
23
Board adopts conservative spending plan
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I wrote this for my former employer while visiting northern Maine. I like to keep my finger in things.
By Kristine A. Harger
Special to The Star-Herald
PRESQUE ISLE - The Maine Potato Board approved a $1.4 million budget for 2009-2010 at its July 17 meeting. The spending plan represents a 5.4 percent drop from the 08-09 budget.
For the potato board, conservative budgeting isn’t anything new. Read more
Jul
14
Acrostic poems
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Just a few acrostics that I wrote for the Central Connecticut Student Writing Project, where I’m instructing this summer.
Bunches of water
Under the spout
Catching the rainfall
Kick it for fun
Empty it onto the flowers
Try to spit into it from a distance
Gorgeous
Egomaniac
Over the top
Relaxed
Greedy
Enormous
Window to my soul
Route to the unknown
Imagination at play
Trip
Into dreams
No limits
Go for it!
Mar
11
Poetry is fun project
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Here’s an independent assignment I gave my American Literature students to do during our final week of state testing. I wanted to give them something that was content-light but still academic. Most of them really enjoyed it.
I should point out that all of this (except for the samples, which I wrote) was stolen from the web. Read more
Mar
3
Fool by Christopher Moore
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I’ve been hearing great things about Christopher Moore for years, but it took his writing a “re-telling” of King Lear from the Fool’s point of view to get me to pick up one of his novels.
More fool me for waiting so long.
Moore is deliciously funny, with a wicked streak a mile long. Naughty doesn’t quite cover it. And I loved every minute of it.
I won’t get into too many details, as this is not an adult blog (naughty writer, remember?), but here’s a quick rundown of the plot. The set-up is the same as Shakespeare’s play: King Lear’s an egomaniac who pits his daughters against each other. The elder two are evil suck-ups, while the youngest speaks the truth and is banaished. Lear gets taken advantage of, and eventually dies. Along the way, Moore references 10 or so others of the Bard’s works, including Macbeth (3 witches) and Hamlet (a troupe of traveling actors performing Green Eggs and Hamlet. Go ahead-try to not giggle like an idiot.). But it’s Lear’s Fool who runs this show — and is sometimes run by it. He’s a bawdy wit who’s a tad frustrated with rhyming ghosts and witches.
Despite being American, Moore does a great job with British slang. Those unfamiliar with British witticisms need not fear, as Moore provides a series of footnotes, which are just as funny as the prose proper. I’d give examples, but again, I’m trying to keep this family-friendly.
So why recommend it here? Like I said: It’s funny. And smart. And it references no fewer than 12 Shakespearean plays. I’m an English teacher. I’m required to recommended stuff like that.
So go read it. I’m off to find more of his work.
Feb
14
Billet-doux assignment
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This assignment was inspired by the book, 100 Words for Lovers, that I picked up at Barnes & Noble a few weeks ago. I gave the assignment to my Delta Writing class (struggling writers) on the last day before February vacation. Most had fun with it, although a few turned their noses up at the idea of writing a “love letter.”
You may question Rule #1. Alas, it’s necessary for this class (not every student, but enough of them).
I gave every student who did the project a 100 under Class Participation for the day.
Jan
4
Remembering Dad on Father’s Day
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I wrote this in either 2002 or 2003, when I was working for The Star-Herald newspaper in Presque Isle, Maine. My periodic column was called “Musings.”
This Sunday, June 15, fathers everywhere will receive breakfast in bed, golf balls, bad ties, sports videos and cards ranging from side-splitting funny to tear-jerker sweet from their spouses and children. Yep … it’s Father’s Day.
I’m planning on sending my father (he’s in Connecticut so this won’t ruin the surprise) a wine book that will allow him to make notes on what varieties and brands he likes, doesn’t like, and what foods they best complement. But I still don’t have a card picked out.
You see, my father is not an emotive man. I’ve never seen him cry or belly-laugh, although he has this great smirk and chuckle. I have seen him get mad - I get my impatience from him. Most of the time though, he’s pretty stoic.
So a mushy card that goes on and on about how I’m Daddy’s Little Girl, or some other sappy stuff, is not for me and my Dad. No, I need a card that somehow acknowledges … Read more
Jan
1
Random kitty tankas
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Kitty sits in the window
birds swoop by — ack! ack!
Frustration emerges now.
I want to eat birds!
I want to eat birds!
Hackles rise as space contracts
ears back, bellies shown.
first swipe, then the fur flies fast.
wounds nursed, glass broken
Mommy’s left to sweep.
Christmas in SoCal
