Published in Inspired Education·PinnedSchool Leaders, This Is How You Do Staff Development On Self-CareIt’s time to walk the walk — I have not always had supportive leaders at work. In fact, I have experienced mostly strained relationships with administration throughout my 24 years in education. My stories of bosses attacking my character or leaders making ridiculous unilateral decisions that had dire consequences are probably more interesting to read. …Education2 min read
Published in Parlor Tricks·PinnedRegret Came to Meet HimA short story — Regret came to meet him that Saturday afternoon, as he left the dry-cleaners. Will wasn’t stupid enough to pretend he didn’t know what he had seen in Tricia. When he had met her seven months ago, her self-righteousness was a huge turn-on. While his mother’s sign was the simple slogan…Fiction3 min read
PinnedAbout the AuthorAlways learning teacher/writer/mama/wife/sister/daughter — Hi! My name is Samantha Rae Lazar. Thank you for taking the time to read my little auto-bio. I began writing on Medium in June 2019, and I am in love with this platform, even with all of its challenges and changes. …Introduction7 min read
May 13Ice Cream Shop HopA twittle — for when you were in utero craving filled up all the punch cards V.V.I.P.s everywhere we went for ice cream was our sweetheart Carolyn Hastings, the twittle queen, introduced me to this form. Please check my math. It should be 100 letters, 4 lines, optional rhyme scheme. …Twittle1 min read
Published in The Howling Owl·May 4I Didn’t Go To SansepolcroProse poem — wanderlust and I’m completely immersed in the Tuscan labyrinth — perhaps lost in my own battle with sacrifice — Minoan myths and I miss the turn — which country tends better to my health? a decades-long pause and I pitch the tent — after dusk, which is to say by…Travel1 min read
Published in Scrittura·Apr 27Serotonin UpkeepProse poem — on a Monday-like Tuesday, the left side of my neck has given up — collar bone and jaw also laugh at the arnica — it still feels like ‘21 — so expiration dates are merely suggestions — give kids a four day weekend and they forget how to be humans call me…Prompt2 min read
Published in Inspired Education·Apr 19Is It My Fault We’re Back To Teaching In A Mask?It was fun while it lasted — Well, this weekend, two of my students tested positive for COVID-19. My son was with one of them at an outdoor, masked birthday party. Weeeeee. They are both having only mild symptoms, thankfully. (Yes, they are vaccinated.) Indoor masking has been optional since the beginning of March, and honestly, I…Covid 192 min read
Published in The Riff·Apr 18Play Your Guitar On RepeatMixtape — One of my favorite author crushes, Danielle Loewen, created a fabulous article about her music at age 16. I am grateful she asked for mine. I turned 16 in November 1990. My hair fell nearly to my waist, a black t-shirt under a plaid flannel, 5–6 necklaces, patched jeans, Birkenstocks…Music7 min read
Published in Scuzzbucket·Apr 18Find Release In The ThicketProse poem — 1. we lunch with the devil’s poetry lingering in the details trying to find release in the thicket — a self-imposed cage does pain make us insatiable or is it the fear of feeling pain blocking the light of our own sun everyone phases and everyone stays in their decades-worn chair feeling the pull of forever…Poetry2 min read
Apr 14Nest ManifestTarot vision prose poetry for Christina — for Christina M. Ward how many times have you escaped and landed on your feet — you’re meant to fly — and although each moment of bliss on the aerie seems fleeting, each time you’re shown the wider view — you stretch until the waves cleanse the path behind the…Poetry2 min read
