Mike Johnson
Bio
Stories (18/0)
Like Mother
Layla Montgomery walked slowly, meticulously, watching every step as she went, careful not to step on a crack. Step on a crack, break your mother’s back. She thought of that now, of all things. How she used to play that game as a girl walking home from school. She knew what she should be thinking about was the funeral, the visitation. How her mother lay there, hands folded across her chest, eyes closed, sleeping her final sleep. “The Big Sleep,” her dad had called it before he closed his eyes for the last time.
By Mike Johnson2 years ago in Fiction
Teen Suicides and Suicide Pacts
1999, a small town 50 miles west of Atlanta, Georgia, a Central High School couple, Jeff Miller and Andrea Garrett made a suicide pact. Nobody but them knew why. One could speculate that like Romeo and Juliet, their love was frowned upon by their families. Miller was 17 and Garrett was 15, so age could have been a factor. However, there is no evidence to show that the two were having problems at home or in their relationship. The couple eventually died from .22 caliber gunshot wounds to the head. Police tried to determine who shot first, but came up empty.
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Families
Essay Writing
So, you’ve been assigned to write an essay, but you’re afraid that you won’t know how to begin or what information you’re going to include. This is a typical problem with students in their first year of college. The instructor gives an assignment to write a four-page argument paper on a topic you choose, and this makes you nervous because you don’t know what you want to write about. This is where your interests come into play. You want to think about something you’re interested in, or you’re not going to have any fun writing the paper. Not only are you stuck for a topic, but you also don’t think you’re going to be able to write four pages about anything. Well, here are some tips for you. Once you have settled on a topic, it is time to begin writing. But that cursor on your screen is blinking at you, mocking you. Where to start?
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Education
A Change in Trajectory
My dad died on August 26, 1997, and I wasn’t there. I could have been there because my mother-in-law at the time offered to let me use her frequent flyer miles to go to his bedside in a Tennessee hospital. I turned her down. Part of me just didn’t want to believe that he was dying, leaving forever. It’s hard to describe that feeling; it was overwhelming. My dad. Dying. I didn’t want to accept it, so I stayed home. Around 2 am, that morning, the phone rang. It was my step-mother calling to tell me that my dad had passed. I cried the rest of the morning, and that day completely changed the trajectory of my life.
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Families
My Life as an EmPAWyee
My name is Dozer. That's me in the picture. I am a 73-pound English Bulldog, and I am standing under the table looking up at Dad. He is working from home again, and it seems like he never has time to pet me. So here I am, trying desperately to get his attention and affection. It's not that Dad never pays attention to me; it's just that he seems to only want to pay attention to me when he wants to, not when I want him to. So, this is my life.
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Petlife
College Prep--Part II
As I said in my last story, you’re in college now, and the rules are different. This includes the ways in which you communicate with your instructors. One of my pet peeves is when a student emails me and does not include identifying information in the email. This is important to include, as many instructors teach five to six classes and may not know what student is in what class. So, here I will give you some tips on how to best communicate with your instructor via email or Conversations (if you are sending a message through Canvas).
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Education
College Prep
Congratulations! You’re in college!! This is an exciting time for you, as it was for me, and you want to do your best for you and your family. High school may not have prepared you for what you’re going to face in college, so you might need a little help getting to where you need to be. That is what I am here for. Going into college on the first day can be scary, and you want to make sure that you’re prepared. There are many things you can do to prepare yourself for your first day of classes, and I am going to take you through some of those so that you don’t walk in blind.
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Lifehack
Job Interviews--Part III
You’re sitting at the end of a long table, and there are 10 interviewers around you who have just fired a bunch of questions at you. You did your best because you were prepared for many of their questions. But, there is more coming. You know this because you can see it on their faces, and you lean forward just a bit more, waiting. Then, one of the interviewers speaks up: “Do you have any questions for us?” Ooh. You thought you were home free. Nope. Well, fear not future employee, here are some questions you can ask your interviewers. But first, a recap.
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Journal
Job Interviews--Part II
Once you have applied for a job in your dream career, what’s next? The interview. You know have the look down because you have been doing this for years. However, when it comes to the interview itself, you’re still a little unsure of yourself. This is normal, and you should not look down on yourself because of it. A job interview in your dream career can be stressful and emotionally and physically draining. That is why you should spend a great deal of time preparing for that interview. When I prepared for my interviews in the education field, I always tried to imagine what questions might be asked. I would ask those questions of myself and answer them. It doesn’t sound like much, but it is a great way to prepare and to relieve some stress before you interview.
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Journal
Job Interviews
Hey, guys! If you’re anything like me, you hate getting dressed up for any occasion. It always feels so stuffy and uncomfortable, so we just don’t like to do it. When I was getting married for the first time, I told my now ex that I wanted to wear a t-shirt and jeans instead of a tux. Well, she had the upper hand on that one, so I was forced to wear a tux. Was I uncomfortable? Yes. Did it feel stuffy? Yes. However, there are some occasions for which one must dress appropriately, and one of those occasions is a job interview.
By Mike Johnson3 years ago in Lifehack