Author Archives: forstegrupp

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About forstegrupp

Currently I am an English teacher at an independent school outside of Philadelphia. To arrive at this way point, I spent many years in graduate school researching, reading, learning, and studying and finally earned a doctorate in comparative literature from Harvard University. I specialized in medieval orality and literacy. My private interests include baking, knitting, spinning, and gardening.

Who belongs? Who is out?

Posted on October 25, 2018 by forstegrupp

These signs have been popping up in my neighborhood. I see them every day when I walk the dogs. I took this picture. It is a little blurry but I did not want to walk onto their lawn to take … Continue reading →

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Stay Focused, Democrats

Posted on October 7, 2018 by forstegrupp

This past week has been absolutely dreadful. The week before when Dr. Blasey Ford testified was not too spiffy either. Senators Lisa Murkowki of Alaska and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota voted their conscience against the tempermentally, morally and ethically … Continue reading →

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The Girl in the Tower

Posted on September 20, 2018 by forstegrupp

Last week I finished the second book in Katherine Arden’s series about Vasilisa and her quest for freedom from medieval Russian norms for girls. The second book picks up exactly where the first book ends. But for those wanting to … Continue reading →

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A picture narrative of my birthday — and what I love and live

Posted on September 20, 2018 by forstegrupp

Triangle cake from Art Deco cake pan from 1920s

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Introvert driven to find quiet space

Posted on September 18, 2018 by forstegrupp

Yesterday we had a faculty meeting in which we were asked to discuss how to support students who are introverts. Questions we discussed included: how to gauge whether they are engaged; how to provide them options for quiet work; how … Continue reading →

Posted in life in general, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The last Thursday before ….

Posted on August 16, 2018 by forstegrupp

Most teachers dread the last few days of summer before the beginnings of faculty/staff meetings. It means the relatively schedule-free days where time is not punctuated by bells at regular intervals. This was my last free Thursday. There are no … Continue reading →

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Finished 4 more books

Posted on August 14, 2018 by forstegrupp

While I was in England, I finished Orson Scott Card’s novel Enchantment which has time-bending, a sleeping princess, linguistics, Baba Yaga, Russian politics, Jewish identity, and lost medieval kingdoms. Card certainly did he research into Proppian structural analysis of Russian … Continue reading →

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My husband would be unhappy…

Posted on August 12, 2018 by forstegrupp

But I rode my bike without a helmet to deliver absentee ballots to people who live at the edge of my ward which means several blocks from our house. Why didn’t I ever think of riding my bike before? It … Continue reading →

Posted in garden, life in general, politics | 2 Comments

Dinosaurs in London?!

Posted on August 10, 2018 by forstegrupp

So one of my days in London I spent the entire afternoon at the Globe. I had a tour at 12:00 and then ate lunch and then went back for a Hamlet performance. I ate lunch on the south bank … Continue reading →

Posted in london | 1 Comment

Reading Harry Potter — again

Posted on August 9, 2018 by forstegrupp

Recently SH bought the complete Harry Potter series for the kindle. He has been reading it steadily and is far far far ahead of me. I just downloaded the series to my phone a few days ago as a diversion … Continue reading →

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