Blog

Various ventures into Mr. Scott’s mind.

Cycling over Mountains

When I lived in Poland, I got into cycling. I bought a mountain bike, bought a road bike, and then my wife and I decided neither was for us: touring is where it's at! So I converted my mountain bike into a make-shift touring bike and we set off. Every possible...

Cemetery of Memories

The first time I approached the cemetery in Lipnica Wielka was November of 1996, and I headed up for my first experience with All Saints' Day in Poland. I took pictures and made mental notes for my journal: I left my apartment around 4:30 and headed up to the cemetery...

Trstená Supermarket

Just across the border from where I lived in Poland (Lipnica Wielka) and where my wife grew up (Jablonka) is a Slovak town called Trstená. We go there every time we visit family in Poland. I love Trstená because unlike much of Central Europe, it seems frozen in time....
A Trip to Zab

A Trip to Zab

One of my favorite bike rides while I lived in Poland was a trip to Zab, which means "tooth." The ride began in the small village in which I lived and climbed to the highest village in Poland, Zab....

Philip Levine

Some things you know all your life. They are so simple and true they must be said without elegance, meter and rhyme...they must be naked and alone, they must stand for themselves.

Homework

Homework

My wife snapped this picture of me grading articles of the week yesterday morning. See, I have homework, too.

Another from the Past

From the same album as last week: Bangin' by The Outfield. Popular when I was in eighth grade. Never could figure out why they didn't release this as their first single -- it's a much better song.

Heart of the Sunrise

Heart of the Sunrise

I was in eighth grade when I discovered, through my best friend and his uncle, the most amazing prog-rock band ever -- Yes. Here was a band that seemed to break all the rules of popular music. It...

Eighth-Grade Memory

When I was in eighth grade, this song was fairly popular. I liked it enough that I bought the cassette. I listen to this, remember what it was like to be thirteen again, and look forward to seeing...

Candyland

Candyland

Our son decided he wanted to play Candyland. But he had to add his little touch: the use of cars. If it's not cars, he's really not all that interested. Colors are difficult to remember because,...

Jokes

The students already groan when I say, "Hey, I have a joke for you guys!" Startin' the year off right...

The Meeting

An amusing passage from Dostoyevski's The Possessed. In this chapter, a group of underground socialist revolutionaries is meeting. Or are they? "Gentlemen," said Virginsky, suddenly lifting up his...