In my teaching career, it didn’t matter much to me whether the class was a lecture or a smaller discussion group. Making connections with my students and seeing them build a sense of community with each other always felt like job #1. Yes…learning names was the starting point…but I found it useful to go deeper … More The Power of Poetry & Place
Vicki and I had the pleasure of visiting with Bruce Bohrer, author of “Best Seat in the House: A Diary of a Wrigley Field Usher” and it was a terrific, behind-the-scenes peek into a beloved sports venue in Chicago. We talk about all the characters that come together to make a ball field work – … More Episode 13: Best Seat In the House with Bruce Bohrer
Teachers at our elementary school offer a few after school classes. Miss O has been taking one of these, The Art of Ancient Egypt, from the art teacher, Ms. McNeer. Fortunately for me, Ms. McNeer has taught me some great lessons about creativity in the process. Creativity and artistry just waft off Ms. McNeer every … More Lessons From an Artist
“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” Rosalia de Castro In the most basic way I think we can agree that writers string words together, usually with the desire to have them make sense to others in a coherent … More Writer…Blogger…Who The Heck Am I?
My very first follower on WordPress was Stuart M. Perkins of the Storyshucker blog. Thank goodness I didn’t realize it at the time but that’s like going out to learn how to shoot basketballs and LeBron James shows up. But I figured it out in pretty short order because I figured out how to follow … More Episode 12: On Storytelling with Stuart M. Perkins
I’ve long admired people who have the innate capacity for storytelling, especially when the topic is family focused. Whether it’s a rich, oral history shared at holiday gatherings (often where the SAME stories are told and retold, becoming family traditions) or when we’re writing to capture stories which become legacies – connecting threads through the … More Family Stories: Courage & Creativity
On a Ten Percent Happier podcast I listened to recently, Dan Harris asked his guest, Prof. Lindsey Cameron, what her spiritual practice was. She said that she practiced meditation and a form of African spirituality. She was specific about the sequence – she meditates first and then prays. She recapped: “I hear first, and then … More The Creative Rhythm
March is a long month, isn’t it? 31 days, the long slog to the end of winter, and no holidays. Thank goodness for a month of humor and conversations worth having. Of course, this is all possible because of the great group of writers and community that makes this conversation meaningful. In Case You Missed … More March’s Greatest Hits
A fantastic conversation with story-teller, blogger, filmmaker, composer and pubic speaker, Mitch Teemley. … More Podcast Episode 9: The Audacity to Believe with Mitch Teemley
I love this quote from Lucille Clifton. Some days I’m not sure I “know” anything but boy, do I wonder/wander in a never-ending stream of fascination and bemusement, Vicki-style. Okay, sometimes my wonder/wander brings frustration and impatience – but you’ll be happy to know I’m usually the target. Writing helps me think and more than … More Podcast Episode 8: I Write…Because I Wonder
The Heart of the Matter 