J.F. "Jeff" McCullers, Ed.D.
@jeffmccullers.com
Retired educator fascinated by just about everything, especially teaching, humanities, sciences, and coffee | Advocate for public schools | Policy wonk | Fifth-generation Floridian | Movie fan | Sometime artist, writer, and poet
Yeah, so you know the guy who invented these tangledy-dangley Christmas lights that look like light-up Spanish moss hanging from the drip edge? I’m going to fight that guy.
December 12, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Yeah, so you know the guy who invented these tangledy-dangley Christmas lights that look like light-up Spanish moss hanging from the drip edge? I’m going to fight that guy.
The convergence of being retired and also being a homebody: It just occurred to me that I cannot recall using a vending machine of any kind since before COVID.
December 10, 2025 at 5:01 PM
The convergence of being retired and also being a homebody: It just occurred to me that I cannot recall using a vending machine of any kind since before COVID.
Zhiyong Jing. (2023). My sunshine sleeps in your darkness. [Acrylic on wood panel.]
Artist site: www.jingzhiyong.com
Artist site: www.jingzhiyong.com
November 28, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Zhiyong Jing. (2023). My sunshine sleeps in your darkness. [Acrylic on wood panel.]
Artist site: www.jingzhiyong.com
Artist site: www.jingzhiyong.com
Upon returning home, there is a liminal period when the traveling version of you has to allow the home version to regain control.
You don't have to tip anymore. You don't have to stay dressed. You do have to cook.
The traveling self wraps itself in a cocoon of forgetfulness and then slumbers.
You don't have to tip anymore. You don't have to stay dressed. You do have to cook.
The traveling self wraps itself in a cocoon of forgetfulness and then slumbers.
October 22, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Upon returning home, there is a liminal period when the traveling version of you has to allow the home version to regain control.
You don't have to tip anymore. You don't have to stay dressed. You do have to cook.
The traveling self wraps itself in a cocoon of forgetfulness and then slumbers.
You don't have to tip anymore. You don't have to stay dressed. You do have to cook.
The traveling self wraps itself in a cocoon of forgetfulness and then slumbers.
August 30, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Humanities moment: Here's naughty Argonaut Jason being barfed out by the dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece. (The fleece hangs on the tree.) Athena watches, sensibly trying not to step in dragon slobber.
This is a from a cup made by a potter named Douris near Rome, who made it around 480 BCE.
This is a from a cup made by a potter named Douris near Rome, who made it around 480 BCE.
August 26, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Humanities moment: Here's naughty Argonaut Jason being barfed out by the dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece. (The fleece hangs on the tree.) Athena watches, sensibly trying not to step in dragon slobber.
This is a from a cup made by a potter named Douris near Rome, who made it around 480 BCE.
This is a from a cup made by a potter named Douris near Rome, who made it around 480 BCE.
A ricotta soufflé, jerked shrimp tacos, dolmas in pomelo juice, BBQ butternut quesadillas, a grapefruit-smoked pork chop with peach pico de gallo, ginger-soy edamame, and half of a grape Pop-Tart found tucked under a bus seat walk into a bar.
The bartender says, "Sorry, we don't serve food here."
The bartender says, "Sorry, we don't serve food here."
August 24, 2025 at 4:36 PM
A ricotta soufflé, jerked shrimp tacos, dolmas in pomelo juice, BBQ butternut quesadillas, a grapefruit-smoked pork chop with peach pico de gallo, ginger-soy edamame, and half of a grape Pop-Tart found tucked under a bus seat walk into a bar.
The bartender says, "Sorry, we don't serve food here."
The bartender says, "Sorry, we don't serve food here."
A good phone case feature would be miniature grappling hooks that pop out whenever the accelerometer detects that the phone is burrowing into the gap beside the seat cushions.
August 7, 2025 at 5:01 AM
A good phone case feature would be miniature grappling hooks that pop out whenever the accelerometer detects that the phone is burrowing into the gap beside the seat cushions.
On this day in 1969, I was eight years old and about as wound up as a kid can possibly be. Everyone around me had to endure non-stop chatter about Apollo 11 leaving Florida to go to the freaking MOON.
July 16, 2025 at 1:29 PM
On this day in 1969, I was eight years old and about as wound up as a kid can possibly be. Everyone around me had to endure non-stop chatter about Apollo 11 leaving Florida to go to the freaking MOON.
The day after a death. The quiet space where words won't do. Laughter from another room. The hesitation to see who will sit in the empty chair. The smoke from the candle. Dust and birdsong. Waves crossing half the Earth to stumble and fall upon the shore. A shadow before, a shadow after.
June 25, 2025 at 1:12 PM
The day after a death. The quiet space where words won't do. Laughter from another room. The hesitation to see who will sit in the empty chair. The smoke from the candle. Dust and birdsong. Waves crossing half the Earth to stumble and fall upon the shore. A shadow before, a shadow after.
These awful new Alexa+ voices are saturated with vocal fry and whiny inflection. As a further annoyance, the voice for every Alexa device must be configured separately.
The unmistakable goal here was to make the all the voice options as insufferable as possible. I do not understand why.
The unmistakable goal here was to make the all the voice options as insufferable as possible. I do not understand why.
June 22, 2025 at 1:04 PM
These awful new Alexa+ voices are saturated with vocal fry and whiny inflection. As a further annoyance, the voice for every Alexa device must be configured separately.
The unmistakable goal here was to make the all the voice options as insufferable as possible. I do not understand why.
The unmistakable goal here was to make the all the voice options as insufferable as possible. I do not understand why.
Happy 84th birthday to Lucky Wilbury — our vagabond poet, Jack of Hearts, and Nobel Laureate.
May 24, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Happy 84th birthday to Lucky Wilbury — our vagabond poet, Jack of Hearts, and Nobel Laureate.
Princes and paupers. Faithful and apostate. A man's personal humility and the pageantry due his rank. An Egyptian obelisk taken by Caligula surrounded by mobile phones. Halberds raised and anti-drone weapons humming.
The past is never past. The eternal weight of glory. The fullness of time.
The past is never past. The eternal weight of glory. The fullness of time.
April 26, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Princes and paupers. Faithful and apostate. A man's personal humility and the pageantry due his rank. An Egyptian obelisk taken by Caligula surrounded by mobile phones. Halberds raised and anti-drone weapons humming.
The past is never past. The eternal weight of glory. The fullness of time.
The past is never past. The eternal weight of glory. The fullness of time.
I know civilization is on the brink and all, but I just wanted to share that somewhere out there on Tumblr, Kaele is grooving to Led Zeppelin and I'm really happy for them.
April 10, 2025 at 1:51 AM
I know civilization is on the brink and all, but I just wanted to share that somewhere out there on Tumblr, Kaele is grooving to Led Zeppelin and I'm really happy for them.
Barry Blitt’s “Left to Their Own Devices" on the next cover of The New Yorker.
Source: www.instagram.com/p/DHvxa25tsI...
Source: www.instagram.com/p/DHvxa25tsI...
March 29, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Barry Blitt’s “Left to Their Own Devices" on the next cover of The New Yorker.
Source: www.instagram.com/p/DHvxa25tsI...
Source: www.instagram.com/p/DHvxa25tsI...
Every equinox is the same (heh). It's just that some equinoctes are more vernal than others.
March 20, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Every equinox is the same (heh). It's just that some equinoctes are more vernal than others.
Estragon: I can't go on like this.
Vladimir: That's what you think.
— Samuel Beckett. (1952). "Waiting For Godot."
Vladimir: That's what you think.
— Samuel Beckett. (1952). "Waiting For Godot."
March 17, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Estragon: I can't go on like this.
Vladimir: That's what you think.
— Samuel Beckett. (1952). "Waiting For Godot."
Vladimir: That's what you think.
— Samuel Beckett. (1952). "Waiting For Godot."
Thank you so much for sorting through that janky list!
So far as I can understand it, the Gainesville office to be closed is in Georgia and not in Florida.
So far as I can understand it, the Gainesville office to be closed is in Georgia and not in Florida.
February 26, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Thank you so much for sorting through that janky list!
So far as I can understand it, the Gainesville office to be closed is in Georgia and not in Florida.
So far as I can understand it, the Gainesville office to be closed is in Georgia and not in Florida.
My eyes are dilated for an eye exam.
One surprising side effect is that I can see into the souls of everyone here. This would have been useful when I was teaching.
One surprising side effect is that I can see into the souls of everyone here. This would have been useful when I was teaching.
February 24, 2025 at 9:30 PM
My eyes are dilated for an eye exam.
One surprising side effect is that I can see into the souls of everyone here. This would have been useful when I was teaching.
One surprising side effect is that I can see into the souls of everyone here. This would have been useful when I was teaching.
Happy International Darwin Day! Celebrate by thanking a science teacher — or encouraging a science major to consider a teaching career.
#edusky
#edusky
February 12, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Happy International Darwin Day! Celebrate by thanking a science teacher — or encouraging a science major to consider a teaching career.
#edusky
#edusky
Rockwell Kent. (1942). "Nightmare." Lithograph.
February 4, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Rockwell Kent. (1942). "Nightmare." Lithograph.
January has given way to February, which means there are just forty-seven months of this left to endure.
For now, do what you can to protect yourself and others, mitigate harm, and keep hope alive.
For now, do what you can to protect yourself and others, mitigate harm, and keep hope alive.
February 1, 2025 at 5:46 PM
January has given way to February, which means there are just forty-seven months of this left to endure.
For now, do what you can to protect yourself and others, mitigate harm, and keep hope alive.
For now, do what you can to protect yourself and others, mitigate harm, and keep hope alive.