Voting For Hope

I am a mother. I am a teacher. I am a Christian. Each of these identities, both individually and combined, means that hope is an essential part of who I am as a person. You cannot carry life beneath your heart for nine months and agree to nurture it for the remainder of your life…

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My #OLW for 2019 is Connect

Finding one little word (#OLW) to guide my year is usually a challenge for me. Some years it has been an epic challenge. My life is no less of a mess than previous years (see 2018: Question, 2017: Light, 2016: Cool, and 2015: Simplicity), but recently I have been putting a lot of thought into my Spring Semester teaching plans…

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Personal Foul: Ad Hominem Attack(s) On Higher Ed

Dear Gov. Bevin, My original plan for this morning included spending a few carefully hoarded hours to write something fun and maybe frivolous to satisfy myself as a writer and give myself a little break from my hectic schedule, because I have been working seven days a week (yes – including the long holiday weekend)…

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I’m Not OK But Thanks For Asking

I’m not OK, but thanks for asking. No really. I know I have a well-deserved reputation for sarcasm, but that was not sarcasm. I can’t tell you how much it means that so many people care about me and have gone out of their way to check on me – reaching out across the country…

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Challenge Yourself

One of the things I constantly stress with my students is to move outside their comfort zone. It is only outside our comfort zones that we learn and grow — evolve if you will. While this is important for students, it is equally important for the rest of us. When was the last time you…

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My #OLW for 2017 is Light

I have chosen Light as my One Little Word for 2017 because this word is comforting and inspirational. Light has so many different meanings that I immediately felt better for thinking about this choice. I have so many fears about 2017 that I need something to give me hope and inspiration. That is the beauty…

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You need more poetry in your life

You need more poetry in your life. I was sharply reminded of this epic truth this weekend when I was cleaning. I hate cleaning and often listen to NPR podcasts to make unpalatable tasks more bearable. As fate would have it, the podcast I chose was new to me although after this weekend’s binge I…

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Empathy is Always the Answer

I believe empathy is always the answer. Hate seems to dominate the news and social media. This hurts my heart. I don’t understand how anyone can spend so much priceless life energy on hate. I turned 50 this year and the one lesson I have learned is that hate never solved anything. Love is the…

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