I’m in a hotel room. Multi-tasking. I pick up, roll, and pack a few items. I pick up my Chromebook, log into my online portal, and read some more final papers, prepping for individual conferences. I click another tab and begin to draft a blog post for #SOL. I check the messages on my phone and magic appears. Timeline: You’ve visited seven airports in November 2023. That’s more than the previous 6 months. You drove 1,795 miles. You flew 5,659 miles. phone 12.04.2023 And without me asking, this just appeared on a screen on my phone. My phone. Unsolicited data. I spent 90 minutes just today putt ..read more

Grateful for: Health and continued negative Covid tests; Gatherings of friends; Gatherings of families; Time to talk; Time to eat; Varied menus; The first measurable snowfall; The varying temperatures; Mailing Christmas cards; Checking Christmas lists; Reading a book for book group; Reading books for me; Checking out Melanie’s graphic about writing process . . . . Where do these lead me? Thinking of a dreaded prompt about What I did over Thanksgiving vacation” Really? Perhaps I’m not yet ready to share those details of my life. Perhaps . . . I was busy doing and didn’t have time to stop and re ..read more

Point of View matters. I could choose to be annoyed: When my phone fell under the TSA agent’s work stand and I was positive that I should not try to pick it up; When I had to remove all electronics at security because I was traveling with non-TSA prescreened folks; or When I forgot to remove my phone from my pocket and put it in the bin at the TSA security walk-through. Little stories, Little moments, A lifetime of feelings. I could choose to save my annoyance for the fall my mother took that resulted in three screws in her hip; Or the time she will be spending in a rehab facility far away as ..read more

What’s the most important characteristic of any written piece? Answers could range from character development to how a character is more than one way to plot to . . . Stop for a minute. What is your answer and why? What is “priority”? As I stepped onto the airport shuttle, I noticed a system even though I didn’t yet have the code. As passengers unloaded at LAX, the system was readily apparent. Our luggage was organized by the airlines we were flying. That mine went into slot one at the top was ominous. And yes, I was the last one. United from my hotel, was the last stop. So interesting to wat ..read more

Can’t say goodbye. It’s too final. “Until we meet again” sounds like both a prayer and a promise. Today, I’m wearing 7 dragonflies in honor of the seven members of our group, #CuriosityCrew. The sparkle is all you, Kitty! You will always light up our lives . . . May you rest in peace and knock the socks off all the folks in heaven, dearest, dearest Kitty. _______________________ Memorial Service 11 am PT today 11.11.2024 link https://vimeo.com/event/3824298/60acacdb57 ..read more

I refuse to skip the next holiday as I think there is so much potential in reflection, praise, and thanksgiving! I’m thankful for my family, my health, my friends, my ability to travel and visit family and friends, my new quilting hobby, my love of books, and my ability to remain curious and in continuous learning mode. Today I was playing with words with some “wait time”. I had the word: Thanksgiving. I was trying to see how many words I could create from that word. (thanks, giving, king, kings, hang, hanging, hangs, shank, shanking, ink, inks, sink, sinking, sing, sings, ski, skiing, think ..read more

In life, what does imitation look like? I taste a new menu item. I ask Google for a recipe so I can make it myself. I see a beautifully crafted sentiment. I study it. I try using it as a mentor text as I create my own “possibility.” I see this quilt at our retreat. And so I ask for help in choosing fabrics. My imitation And a close view so you can see the words in the multi- colored block. A Quilt of Valor flimsy created. Another success from a quilting retreat. When do you “imitate” another or seek out a model to use? When does this work? When doesn’t it work? _______________________________ ..read more

How to describe a person? A word? A phrase? An acronym? How do I share? As I type this, drafting, revising, and rereading, my eyes are leaking tears. I so desperately want to honor my dear friend and I fear that I can’t do her justice because she was such an amazing person. Kindness personified. The words that came to mind were caring, loving, sweet, thoughtful, and oh-so thankful for life’s blessings. Never a perfunctory thank you. Always deep thank yous from the heart. Illuminator. In the words of David Brooks in How to Know a Person, “Illuminators, on the other hand, have a persistent cu ..read more

An event. An ‘ herstorical’ event. An ‘herstorically’ newsworthy event. A state in the Midwest. A coach with a vision. Set an attendance record. The view. Goal posts behind the center court line. Wave to the children at Stead Hospital at the end of the first quarter. Raise some money for Stead Children’s Hospital. $250,000. And have some fun. The Hawkeye Marching Band (on half the field) with a basketball formation. Caitlin Clark . . . A crossover event. In a year celebrating 50 years of Title IX. Some Big 10 highlights. https://youtu.be/i8bJyIH27yU?si=0ux_YdtxLAxcdDPH Truly, an herstor ..read more

What will you do this week to honor Banned Books? Will you: Read some Banned Books and share reviews? Add some banned books to Free Little Libraries? Promote ALA.org’s work? Support NCTE’s work? Fire off a Letter to the Editor of a local paper? How will you learn more? What actions will you take? ____________________________________________________________________________________ Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this weekly forum. Check out the writers and readers here ..read more