To Macaroni and Cheese:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow for the heavenly goodness in your every bite. Who can warm my heart like you do? Macaroni and cheese, food above all foods. I say your name as if I’m reading a book to a group of Kindergarteners and I’ve just gotten to the most [...]

To the Research Paper:

Candy corn and Peeps. My precious mangoes. The World Series. Santa Clause and twinkle lights. Porter Peach Festival. Candles on a cake. Bath and Body Works Big Sale.
They only come around once a year. And we fall in love.
They are not the ordinary, everyday, humdrum treadmill of our existence. [...]

To my weary students, on completing yet another round of standardized tests:

Whether it was prompted by a chalkboard full of quotations to memorize or a chunky piece of Hemingway to digest, you have all asked, “Miss Flindt, why do we have to learn this?”
“It’ll be on the test,” I respond automatically.
You believe me. You trust that there will indeed be a test that measures all the [...]

To Arsenal, on your loss to Liverpool:

As far as I’m concerned you’re the white jersey team who just lost to the red jersey team, so I won’t pretend I really know you. However, you mean a lot to my roommate-brother, which is why I tolerated watching the final half hour of your French-narrated soccer game. My vote was for [...]