Colin and I met when we both lived in Kansas City. This June we will have lived away from Kansas City for 7 years. We left because we felt the call of life all its opportunities. We wanted to launch our life on a raft of experience we could build together. On Understanding Risk I…
How To Write Around It
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Yesterday in class, my student Mike had clearly lost faith. I didn’t know why. But I could see that he was lost. I had asked the entire class to write for a page in response to the question: “Who are you in a group?” followed by “What do you fear about working in groups?” They…
Squinting at the Past
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So I’ve been home in the town where I grew up for a few days to visit my ailing Dad. I am always relieved to get here, and feel it viscerally. But at the same time, my visits are filled with the anxiety of missing someone, letting someone down, not seeing enough of who and…
On Home and Horizons
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At least three times since I have been back to visit my parents, I have thought: “It’s nice to be home.” Then I remembered that I haven’t lived here since 20 years, half my life. Home comes when I feel my heart Drop its weight in relief At the sight of flat land running Forever…
I’m Not Writing from the Heart
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I just stopped by this blog by one of my favorite tweeps, @ArtemisRetreats, and I realized I feel like a fake. That’s right, I am a big, neverending puff of hot air. My blog is supposed to be this place where I can just write from the center of me, where I can change and…
Cassandra Kubinski: Literally, Mindblowing
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To further remind me of the random wonderfulness of the universe, I ended up last night at a live “coffeehouse” performance of Cassandra Kubinski, a singer-songwriter I had never heard of previously. Kubinski performed in the initimate and completed unplugged space of The Depot as part of the Milford Fine Arts Council’s 2011 Performance Coffeehouse.…
In Praise of My Homeschool Homies
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I used to be one of those annoying, know-it-alls about education. “School is the only place for a child to learn what it is REALLY like out there in the world.” I’d sneer. Well, then, what happened was: I actually MET people who homeschool. I spent time around their kids. I learned more about how…
Charisma Will Get You… Somewhere
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“Lenny” walked into my classroom today with NOTHING in his hands. “Bye Lenny. Go get yours books, paper, a pen.” On a scale from 1 to 10, I adore Lenny, at like a 9.2. He is charming, funny, he pays attention. He has that “It” factor as a human being that exudes from his pores.…
Other People’s Problems
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On Everyday Charity and 9.0 Earthquakes. One day on Facebook I asked my friends: “What can I do to help you?” It was one of those days when I had some unexpected free time. I sincerely hoped that someone would ask me to make dinner for them or watch their kids or juggle their seven…
Double Digits – My growing mailing list!
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Growth is exciting! Today I saw my mailing list subscriber list number hit double digits! I know others have no idea, but you TOO can receive A Small State right to your email box… along with my newsletter, special deals on my Demand Poetry, and links to my guests posts. I bow in thanks again…
What Makes Me Come Alive
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“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” –Howard Thurman Today my two friends, Karin and Marcy, both told me I should be WORKING WITH TEENAGERS. “You know how to talk to them.” “They seem to really…
My Favorite… Poem
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Want to torture me? Ask me who my favorite AUTHOR is. Or my favorite film. AAHHH! It’s really like asking the old woman who lived in the shoe which is her favorite child. I mean, can she even remember all of them? But I do have a poem that I love and come back to…
pay attention: a river of stones – Now on Sale!
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I was thrilled that Fiona Robyn and Kaspalita selected one of my small stones to be published in their beautiful anthology… and here it is! pay attention: a river of stones is available is three formats: a stunning collectible hardcover (of course, I willsign your copy for you!); lusciously affordable paperback; and easy-peasy, ultra-portable, great-for-the-subway…
To Ask for Help, or Go It Alone
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Here’s my quandry and I’d love some feedback I feel like I work better with a partner: the home business thing is not only intimidating, it is like a labyrinth of learning. I write— that’s my main gig. But I know I can develop a business that would provide fantastic creative products that allow people…
I, Swim
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I swam the full length, freestyle, for the first time last night. I came up at the deep end to the cheers of Latoya, Paul, and Dan — my support team — at Flood Pool. On the way home, I heard Faith Middleton interviewing one of my favorite environmentalist writers, Bill McKibben. Only he wasn’t…
