Cottrell, Jeanette

Website: http://www.jeanettecottrell.com/

I’m a teacher at a public high school in Oregon. I’m married to a wonderful, long-suffering man–also a teacher. I have three children, two boys currently working their way out of my nest and into college, and a daughter, grown with a family of her own.

I’ve taught for seventeen years now, mostly computer stuff. You can imagine me in my classroom, computer cables strung around my neck for safe-keeping, and waving spare computer parts for emphasis. Kids are wonderful. I figure I’ve taught about two thousand of them so far. I’ve done a lot of laughing and a lot of bouncing off the walls, and some crying, too. But that’s life, isn’t it? The endless energy of teenagers is contagious, fortunately. Also exhausting, but fun.

My cat and dog fail to understand why I devote so much attention to my laptop computer. The cat doesn’t mind much, though. He’s discovered that he can sleep on my shoulders while I’m typing. Apart from an occasional tail in the mouth, it works out. It’s nice to be loved.

Sometimes kids (and adults) ask me how to get into writing, and be comfortable with it. I tell them to do as I did. Write long, long letters to your sister a couple of times a month, and just keep doing it for twenty years. The thing about letters is that you write about daily events, anecdotes, or what someone said at work. You tell about all your ups and downs, and all that emotion just pours out because you know it’s being read by someone who loves you. In those circumstances, it’s amazing how easy writing can become! My love forever to my dear sister, Katie O’Brien.

Whatever you may do in your life, I wish you joy and laughter!

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