Emily Isaacson
@emilyrisaacson.bsky.social
Small college prof. Early modernist. Director of Honors and Gen Ed programs. Sometimes professional. Always seeking delight.
Views entirely my own.
Views entirely my own.
I’m teaching “A Modest Proposal” tomorrow. That along with “to His Coy Mistress” and a couple of other poems are things that I love so much, I could teach them at the drop of a hat, should you so wish it.
Seriously, I’m fun at parties.
Seriously, I’m fun at parties.
November 18, 2025 at 11:28 PM
I’m teaching “A Modest Proposal” tomorrow. That along with “to His Coy Mistress” and a couple of other poems are things that I love so much, I could teach them at the drop of a hat, should you so wish it.
Seriously, I’m fun at parties.
Seriously, I’m fun at parties.
Being a literature professor is very frustrating right now. Everywhere I look, I think “did they not read the book to see how it ends?”
November 16, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Being a literature professor is very frustrating right now. Everywhere I look, I think “did they not read the book to see how it ends?”
So, since some people seem to have forgotten: Humbert Humbert is an unreliable narrator and is the VILLAIN.
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
November 15, 2025 at 12:52 PM
So, since some people seem to have forgotten: Humbert Humbert is an unreliable narrator and is the VILLAIN.
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
It has come to my attention that hot glue glitter sticks are a thing and I could not be more excited to buy crafting supplies that may or may not ever get used.
November 13, 2025 at 5:55 PM
It has come to my attention that hot glue glitter sticks are a thing and I could not be more excited to buy crafting supplies that may or may not ever get used.
I start each era of my survey course with a conversation about what students already know about the period. Yesterday we started the long 18th century and I have never had a group so enthusiastic about the time period. Thanks, Bridgerton.
November 4, 2025 at 5:04 PM
I start each era of my survey course with a conversation about what students already know about the period. Yesterday we started the long 18th century and I have never had a group so enthusiastic about the time period. Thanks, Bridgerton.
Introduced the five year old to “The Monster Mash” and he is appropriately thrilled with it.
October 27, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Introduced the five year old to “The Monster Mash” and he is appropriately thrilled with it.
There is much that bothers me about the White House ballroom.
But as someone who loves neoclassical architecture, the resulting asymmetry is making me pull my hair out.
But as someone who loves neoclassical architecture, the resulting asymmetry is making me pull my hair out.
October 20, 2025 at 11:36 PM
There is much that bothers me about the White House ballroom.
But as someone who loves neoclassical architecture, the resulting asymmetry is making me pull my hair out.
But as someone who loves neoclassical architecture, the resulting asymmetry is making me pull my hair out.
Just saw a TikTok where a mom proposed that so many problems would be solved if moms would just spend 2 hours batch-making homemade snacks for their kids each week.
I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed this hard.
I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed this hard.
October 16, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Just saw a TikTok where a mom proposed that so many problems would be solved if moms would just spend 2 hours batch-making homemade snacks for their kids each week.
I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed this hard.
I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed this hard.
I organized coffee and donuts and coloring pages for the Honors Students, as well as snacks and games for the Humanities students and faculty. Both went well and I feel pretty darn hopeful right now.
So obviously I am making the right choice and going online.
So obviously I am making the right choice and going online.
October 15, 2025 at 5:55 PM
I organized coffee and donuts and coloring pages for the Honors Students, as well as snacks and games for the Humanities students and faculty. Both went well and I feel pretty darn hopeful right now.
So obviously I am making the right choice and going online.
So obviously I am making the right choice and going online.
My kid is watching Danny Go and playing with his giant drum sticks (aka pool noodle drum sticks). I just hollered from the kitchen “in the house we hit beats 2 & 4, not 1 & 3.”
For more reasons my kid will need therapy, keep following.
For more reasons my kid will need therapy, keep following.
October 12, 2025 at 1:47 AM
My kid is watching Danny Go and playing with his giant drum sticks (aka pool noodle drum sticks). I just hollered from the kitchen “in the house we hit beats 2 & 4, not 1 & 3.”
For more reasons my kid will need therapy, keep following.
For more reasons my kid will need therapy, keep following.
My poor child. Every time he answers a question with “because,” I tell him it’s not an answer, it’s a subordinating conjunction and now you know why
this child will need therapy later.
this child will need therapy later.
October 10, 2025 at 12:50 AM
My poor child. Every time he answers a question with “because,” I tell him it’s not an answer, it’s a subordinating conjunction and now you know why
this child will need therapy later.
this child will need therapy later.
If you don’t want me to be embarrassing, don’t play songs from my middle school dances at the coffee shop.
October 7, 2025 at 3:43 PM
If you don’t want me to be embarrassing, don’t play songs from my middle school dances at the coffee shop.
Teaching Philip Sidney in the survey course today. I always ALWAYS forget that he was only 32 when he died. He’s one of those literary figures who makes me say “I really need to get back to my writing. This poet managed ALL THAT so young.”
October 3, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Teaching Philip Sidney in the survey course today. I always ALWAYS forget that he was only 32 when he died. He’s one of those literary figures who makes me say “I really need to get back to my writing. This poet managed ALL THAT so young.”
I should not be allowed unsupervised in any store that has Halloween-themed baking ingredients.
October 1, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I should not be allowed unsupervised in any store that has Halloween-themed baking ingredients.
I know it is still 80 degrees here. It is the last day of September and therefore it is soup season and I had corn chowder for lunch and I am a very happy campus for the next 10 minutes.
September 30, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I know it is still 80 degrees here. It is the last day of September and therefore it is soup season and I had corn chowder for lunch and I am a very happy campus for the next 10 minutes.
Been thinking a lot about this idea lately: what is life like for people who are so fearful of difference? For people who believe that everything and everyone must conform?
I think this is a central thread that runs through a whole lot of conversations lately.
I think this is a central thread that runs through a whole lot of conversations lately.
September 23, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Been thinking a lot about this idea lately: what is life like for people who are so fearful of difference? For people who believe that everything and everyone must conform?
I think this is a central thread that runs through a whole lot of conversations lately.
I think this is a central thread that runs through a whole lot of conversations lately.
So that was an experience I hadn’t yet had, but our campus was locked down today. No threat directly to campus, but still rather nerve-rattling.
The fact that this is America hurts my heart so much. This is far, far too routine.
The fact that this is America hurts my heart so much. This is far, far too routine.
September 22, 2025 at 4:15 PM
So that was an experience I hadn’t yet had, but our campus was locked down today. No threat directly to campus, but still rather nerve-rattling.
The fact that this is America hurts my heart so much. This is far, far too routine.
The fact that this is America hurts my heart so much. This is far, far too routine.
I am a confirmed cat person. I have lived with 5 different cats in my lifetime.
Part of being a parent is accepting your children as themselves.
Please note that my son has declared himself a dog person this week.
Part of being a parent is accepting your children as themselves.
Please note that my son has declared himself a dog person this week.
September 20, 2025 at 11:21 PM
I am a confirmed cat person. I have lived with 5 different cats in my lifetime.
Part of being a parent is accepting your children as themselves.
Please note that my son has declared himself a dog person this week.
Part of being a parent is accepting your children as themselves.
Please note that my son has declared himself a dog person this week.
I am at the “waking up in the middle of the night thinking about that time in 1995 when the band director yelled at me in front of everyone” level of anxiety.
How are you?
How are you?
September 18, 2025 at 10:47 AM
I am at the “waking up in the middle of the night thinking about that time in 1995 when the band director yelled at me in front of everyone” level of anxiety.
How are you?
How are you?
Got an email today that says “give your lesson plans a glow-up” and you know what? No, no I do not want to do that, thank you.
September 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Got an email today that says “give your lesson plans a glow-up” and you know what? No, no I do not want to do that, thank you.
I’ve been terrified for my colleagues, my students, and members of my community.
I am now starting to feel that terror for myself, especially because I question whether or not the community I live in will give a shit.
I am now starting to feel that terror for myself, especially because I question whether or not the community I live in will give a shit.
September 15, 2025 at 9:19 PM
I’ve been terrified for my colleagues, my students, and members of my community.
I am now starting to feel that terror for myself, especially because I question whether or not the community I live in will give a shit.
I am now starting to feel that terror for myself, especially because I question whether or not the community I live in will give a shit.
I was called unamerican today.
I don’t generally pull out this piece of info, but: some of my ancestors have been in this country since at least 1750. I have ancestors who fought in the revolutionary war. Back the f off when you want to question whether or not I’m worthy of living in my country.
I don’t generally pull out this piece of info, but: some of my ancestors have been in this country since at least 1750. I have ancestors who fought in the revolutionary war. Back the f off when you want to question whether or not I’m worthy of living in my country.
September 11, 2025 at 7:39 PM
I was called unamerican today.
I don’t generally pull out this piece of info, but: some of my ancestors have been in this country since at least 1750. I have ancestors who fought in the revolutionary war. Back the f off when you want to question whether or not I’m worthy of living in my country.
I don’t generally pull out this piece of info, but: some of my ancestors have been in this country since at least 1750. I have ancestors who fought in the revolutionary war. Back the f off when you want to question whether or not I’m worthy of living in my country.
Just over here weeping uncontrollably because my social media feeds have now given me the first post-9/11 Sesame Street episode where Elmo is terrified and the video Fred Rogers recorded after 9/11.
September 11, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Just over here weeping uncontrollably because my social media feeds have now given me the first post-9/11 Sesame Street episode where Elmo is terrified and the video Fred Rogers recorded after 9/11.
Oh, hey. It’s burning even more than when I posted this.
Work for peace. Work for justice. Have mercy and show grace.
Don’t become numb to the horrors of the world, even when they happen to people you don’t like.
Work for peace. Work for justice. Have mercy and show grace.
Don’t become numb to the horrors of the world, even when they happen to people you don’t like.
The world is burning, but today I taught Paulo Freire in my civic engagement class and I’m getting ready to teach The Second Shepherds Play in Brit Lit. The two have a lot more to say to each other than you might think.
Teaching keeps me afloat.
Teaching keeps me afloat.
September 10, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Oh, hey. It’s burning even more than when I posted this.
Work for peace. Work for justice. Have mercy and show grace.
Don’t become numb to the horrors of the world, even when they happen to people you don’t like.
Work for peace. Work for justice. Have mercy and show grace.
Don’t become numb to the horrors of the world, even when they happen to people you don’t like.