I am exhausted. It has been such a hard week in this country, and, as an extremely empathetic person who has close ties to multiple mass shootings, is the daughter of immigrants (hmmm, when were they naturalized? I actually have no idea and neither is here for me to ask), is coming up on the […]
Month: October 2018
A Day of Contrasts
It has been a day of heartbreaking contrasts. This morning, I went on a run and then to a wonderful breakfast put on by Team World Vision, and I left inspired at what human beings can do for one another when we join together to fight for all people globally to have basic human rights […]
Reclaiming My Writer Identity
I was on my way into work this morning and listening to Dare to Lead by Brené Brown when she began talking about “creativity scars” — these powerful moments where someone in authority communicates to us that we aren’t good enough at some creative endeavor, and we internalize that message and believe it. And then we live […]
The Things We Carry
Do you know what your students are carrying? Educators, what are the things you carry? What burdens can you not lay down because you are fully human? Today, like the waves in this picture, it hit me how much we carry, as students, as educators, as humans. Like these waves that can so violently crash […]
Stay Present
Last week, I was craving writing time to write a post on “having it all” and wanting to give some back. This morning, when I finally had a 30-minute window, I had no idea what to do with myself. And so, I sat down to write, reminded of the fact, that, as the semester ebbs […]
Mid-Semester Academic Mama Check-In
I am super tired. Yesterday, I had two phone call meetings, an in-person and taught two classes in addition to prepping and grading. Last night, after teaching back-to-back classes, I picked up my son from evening Tae Kwon Do practice, had a long talk with him on the car ride home about responsibility (after he […]
Making Time to Write
I am many things: human, woman, mother, partner, sister, friend, person of faith, academic, runner, writer, singer — many things. But, I don’t always prioritize those things equally, and when I’m out of balance (did I mention I’m also a Libra?), I end up feeling completely overwhelmed. Sometimes, I look back on the early days […]
Using Technology to Build Community
Technology often gets a bad rap in terms of taking us away from those we love. Don’t get me wrong. I know first hand that technology can be a huge distraction from being present (in fact, I may have been reminded of as much by a dear friend during my 40th birthday weekend celebration), but […]
On Meeting My Mom (Again) at 40
For my 40th birthday, I asked friends and family to help me find my mom again. If you follow this blog with any regularity or if you know me in real life, you will know that it has been almost 25 years since my mom passed away, suddenly, in a car accident. It is the […]