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Back-to-School 2007 Isaac and India both had their parent-teacher conferences this week, but because I stayed home with them Tuesday and Wednesday as they were sick, Salomé had to attend both meetings solo in the evening.  While I've met both of their primary teachers, she'd only spoken with them over the phone and via email, so it worked out okay, especially since she has the insider's take on what questions to ask beyond "how are they doing?" Both reports were good, with Isaac's teacher raving over his writing, in particular, while India, after some early difficulties, has adapted very well to her new setting. When it comes…

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It's Spindle's penultimate update before the official launch in January and it's the most eclectic mix of poetry, fiction, non-fiction and photography yet, including the debut of our first column, Mahogany Browne's Coffee & Brooklyn (C&B), and the latest Notable New Yorker interview, Ivan Brandon: Crime Comics Czar. Log on now to check out new poetry, fiction and photos from Patricia Smith, Steven Allan, Michael Cirelli, Kevin Coval, Steven M. Johnson, Adam Kazmierski, Lisa Marie Kelleher, Peggy Landsman and Marie-Elizabeth Mali. Also, sign up for one (or more) of our free enewsletters to receive email udpates from your favorite sections whenever…

There's a great website called fans4writers.com that is trying to organize support for the members of the Writers Guild of America who went on strike this past Monday after negotiations over royalties for usage of their creations in new media vehicles -- ie: re-playing TV episodes and streaming movies online, the sale of digital copies of TV episodes, etc. Philosophically speaking, I'm a union guy first -- except in the case of the PBA which royally screwed over its future members during their last go-round of negotiations with the City -- and as both a writer and an avid fan of movies and TV, the WGA strike is particularly compelling.  fans4writers…

Amd_frontpage11_06 Not just no, but "HELL, NO!" "As I've said before, he's one of the free agents in the market, and we're looking at all free agents," Minaya said about A-Rod, whose private plane flew from Miami to the Bahamas on Sunday... Minaya continues to reaffirm his pleasure with David Wright and Jose Reyes, but won't offer any guarantees that a position switch to accommodate A-Rod is not viable. "We don't need to fill third base," Minaya said yesterday. "I'm telling you, today we're very happy with David Wright at third base." I understand the need to do due diligence…

Jack-O-Lantern 2007 Isaac and I finally got around to carving the pumpkin he picked a few weeks ago during India's birthday picnic party, using a cheapo carving kit we bought that included templates. He picked one of the more difficult choices but I was up for the challenge since it was the first time we were carving instead of painting a pumpkin together. I cut the top off and then he scooped out the majority of the insides before I finished it off and started carving away. I totally get how woodworking must be a very therapeutic hobby because I was completely focused…