I’m going back to school this week

Hoping to learn more than I did in my high school physics class

I was captured mid-sentence in physics class, mimicking my teacher’s “Okay, alright” catchphrase. It was my least favorite class since I couldn’t grasp the concepts of physics no matter how hard I tried. At least it validated that not pursuing a STEM career like my mother was trying to talk me into was the right call.

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I won’t be sharing any things your mom should have told you this week because I am participating in the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. 

In case you’re wondering who the hell Erma is–she was best known for her humorous newspaper column about American family life, which ran from 1965 to 1996. She also published twelve books, nine of which were New York Times bestsellers. 

I first became acquainted with Erma when I found her book, I Lost Everything in the Post-Natal Depression, on my mom’s nightstand. Eight-year-old me couldn’t understand why my mom thought this book was so funny. Years later when I had a family of my own, I would appreciate Erma’s comic genius. Somehow finding the funny really does make it easier to deal with the frustrations and struggles of life.

According to The Writer magazine, the Erma Workshop is “THE conference for humor writers.” Having attended the last conference in 2022, I can confirm this is so.

I am especially looking forward to the workshop in which a cartoonist and a psychologist will team up to share insights to help writers understand how to craft more captivating humor.

I thought about still publishing an issue this week since I will be participating via the Erma Home Schooling option, but I decided to give my brain some breathing room to take it all in. 

IMHO, keeping a love of learning alive after your formal education ends is a key to living life to its fullest. Finding a conference that helps me honor this commitment while having a few laughs is a total gift. And if you’d like to see funnier stuff from me, this should be time well spent on your behalf too.

Things Your Mom Should Have Told You will resume next week. While I’m away, your assignment is to catch up with the things you might have missed.