I am a people pleaser. I am also a rule follower. Explosive combination, wouldn’t you agree? Sometimes, pleasing someone and following the rules is not a problem. At other times, in order to please someone, I must break the rules. And still at other times, in order to follow the rules, I will likely disappoint… Read more

Staring at a blank page (or screen) can be brutal. I know this to be true in my head. But I recently experienced this in my body for the first time in a long time. I was unproductive and unmoored. I was restless and distracted. I didn’t have a plan (read: a list of writing… Read more

I recently started a new practice. I first heard about it on the Teach Write site. I won’t lie: I took off with it like a dog with a bone. This is a very simple, but powerful practice. List all of the “wins”, or accomplishments, for the day or week. Sometimes I set a timer.… Read more

You know that excitement you get when things are just flowing? Everything seems to be working just the way you envisioned it. You remembered to do everything you were supposed to do. You shifted smoothly from task to task. You toggled seamlessly from Google Meet to Microsoft Teams meetings and back again. Your to-do list… Read more

This month I am making small, medium and big shifts. Shifting my tone of voice. Speaking softly even when I’m about to lose it. Shifting how I speak. Slowing down my speech so that it fills me with deep breaths and not angry talk. Shifting from assuming to listening. Ask ingquestions instead of making statements,… Read more

Every year, in January, I struggle to find the word that will guide me through the New Year. Most of the time, before February rolls around, I either forget what word I chose or the word I picked just doesn’t resonate with me anymore. This year is no different. I started with CREATE. Who can… Read more

I subscribe to Poetry Minute, a website curated by former Poet Laureate Ken Nesbitt. A recent post featured Kalli Dakos’ poem, There’s a New Me This Year, which inspired me to reflect on all of the ways I try to reinvent myself. I wrote the call and response piece below in an attempt to sort… Read more

If you are not familiar with Austin Kleon, including his books and regular email posts, then you need to stop what you’re doing and get cozy with one of the best creator minds out there. What I love about Austin Kleon’s work is that it can apply to anyone in any field who is doing… Read more

Dear me, This is a tough year. You feel like a brand new teacher. You are learning new technologies and new ways of teaching in an online environment. You are creating a community in a virtual space. You are doing what you thought you’d never do. And, you are loving the time spent with students.… Read more

We recently adopted a puppy. She is about a year old and is a German Shepherd mix. I knew she was for us the first time we met her. I love dogs and I don’t like cats. (I just had to say that.) All of the dogs we’ve owned have been outdoor dogs. That was… Read more