Paul Levin, a 1989 Guilderland High School graduate, was recently selected and honored as a Master Teacher. Responding to strengthening our nation’s K-12 STEM Education, Governor Andrew Cuomo launched the New York State Master Teacher Program. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math education.

Super Bowl XLIX has been the main topic of conversation for football fans for weeks. Now that the game is over, the real enthusiasts will continue talking about the game with discussions about good plays that their team made, bad plays, good calls by the referees as well as bad calls.

One beautiful, warm day this summer, Jim and I were sitting in the backyard watching puffy white clouds float by. We would survey the changing shapes and use our imagination to identify various animals. The clouds presented us with an ever-changing puzzle. I wonder if cloud puzzles were the inspiration for hidden picture puzzles.

Jim and I were sitting in the living room with the television turned on playing quietly to no one in particular. I was reading a book, and Jim was working on a word puzzle. At some point I realized that there was some music playing. I scoured the room to detect its origin, and being unsuccessful, I gave up the search.

We got a call from Jim’s niece the other day that really excited us. Laurie and her husband Steve wanted to check a date to see if we would be around for a visit from them. Of course, we said, “Yes.” If we had other plans, we would have changed them in order to see Laurie and Steve.

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! All I have to do is close my eyes and I can see the monkeys flying through the air. A quick blink, and they are gone, replaced with a beautiful good witch.

We received an e-mail from Jim’s niece that she and her husband had purchased a motor home and were making plans to travel across the country. 

When I graduated from High School in Fairhaven, Mass. my whole world changed. The usual routine of eating, studying, meeting my friends for a Chow Mein sandwich over in New Bedford were  about to be a thing of the past.

As we turned off of the main road we drove up a short driveway to the security station. A gentleman in a crisp white shirt, black tie and pin-striped trousers came out and with his clipboard in hand and gave us a very warm greeting.

As we turned off of the main road we drove up a short driveway to the security station. A gentleman in a crisp white shirt, black tie and pin-striped trousers came out and with his clipboard in hand and gave us a very warm greeting.