Tag Archives: relationship

“Choices We Make When We Are Too Young To Make Them” by Lois Parker Edstrom

Posted on August 7, 2016 by jyourist

Evenings at the table with my father, stewing over algebraic equations, chemical reactions, my young life sloped toward science and healing. He didn’t recognize, nor did I, how I fingered letters the way the devout touch prayer beads, that I … Continue reading →

Posted in parents, poetry, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Still Life with Gratitude” by Dean Rader

Posted on May 23, 2016 by jyourist

One day, the scientists tell us, every star in the universe will burn out, the galaxies gradually blackening until the last light flares and falls returning the all to darkness where it will remain until the end of what we … Continue reading →

Posted in death, poetry, relationship, stars | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Outside together in the sun

Posted on May 21, 2016 by jyourist

Yesterday my friend Michael came to my school. Because my advisory had raised money ($500.00) for the La Casa Norte fundraiser (see earlier post), he thought he would say “thank-you” by screening the film Alzheimers: A Love Story at school. … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ, relationship, school, students | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Michael and Greg

Posted on May 15, 2016 by jyourist

The following article appeared in the Windy City Times, the premier Chicago LGBTQ weekly newspaper. Gretchen Rachel Hammond spent three hours interviewing my dearest friend Michael and put together this story of Michael and Greg’s remarkable love story, over 41 … Continue reading →

Posted in Alzheimers, LGBTQ, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It takes a village

Posted on February 28, 2016 by jyourist

This is a shout out to JB who, knowing what my hibernation with 8th grade first draft research papers entails, brought up to my desk a surprise lunch, a sprig of fresh marjoram newly pushing through the surface of wintered … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Graceful about change

Posted on October 18, 2015 by jyourist

This weekend my sister and I talked with my mother about the request of her assisted living facility to move her to a new “neighborhood” within the facility, a memory enhanced unit. Mom has been declining, not just physically from … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, change, clay, elder care, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

…nothing to do with miles

Posted on June 19, 2015 by jyourist

Very early this morning JB and I went to the Botanical Gardens. It was a cool, crisp, sunny day, 58 degrees, an unusual June morning. As we walked through the Japanese Gardens, I couldn’t help but think of my son’s imminent … Continue reading →

Posted in garden, photography, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Eric Foner makes my Bucket List yet again!

Posted on June 5, 2015 by jyourist

It was the last day of 8th grade today. Next week is graduation rehearsal and graduation, but today was the last day of classes. All my students’ papers have been graded and handed back, accomplished after some very late nights and … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Reconstruction, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The joy of this game

Posted on March 23, 2015 by jyourist

My dear friend Michael is turning 70. It’s hard to believe that all this time has passed. I think we were both in our early thirties when we first met. Over 10 years ago his partner Gregory was first diagnosed with … Continue reading →

Posted in Alzheimers, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cultural Umami: quality of ingredients, time, and intention.

Posted on March 10, 2015 by jyourist

For a while my son, IB, has been thinking about going back to Japan. He has felt compelled to return after his year teaching English in Satsuma-Sendai on the southernmost island of Kyushu a few years ago. In his latest … Continue reading →

Posted in cooking, food, Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments