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This is How I Work
[Questions: LifeHacker] Current Gig: Learning Innovation Design Specialist at VCU ALT Lab. One word that best describes how you work: INTENSE. Current mobile device: Samsung Galaxy S6 for most of my on-the-go stuff, blue-tooth streaming of playlists, long-distance communication on Whatsapp, spontaneous photo capture of special moments. Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 (8 inch) for reading Kindle books, and other web resources. I had an old MacBook Pro for consulting with clients but have recently upgraded to a Dell XPS 13 Touch which is much lighter and syncs with my…
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Dancing in the Rain
Reentering blogosphere with a happy song and a feel-good story about the impact of YouTube. Bethany Mota was a victim of cyberbullying as a younger teen (she’s 18 now!). Instead of moping, she turned to YouTube to find her voice. Bethany is now a social media star with nearly 7.5 million subscribers to her channel, and dances with talented dance pro, Derek Hough, on Dancing with the Stars. Last night, she shared these stories in her Most Memorable Year of Her Life dance. To the tune of Colbie Caillat‘s Try,…
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The Canvas Babe
Once, there was a little girl who slept on a white canvas bed with wooden legs. Every morning, she woke up and made her own bed. She folded the white canvas bed and leaned it against the bedroom wall. She also liked to sing and dance. One day, she came home from dancing in a school concert. Her teacher had made up her face with some pretty colors — blue on her eyelids, orange on her cheeks and red on her lips. She saw papa talking to a man…
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Smiles of a Summer Day
[Blog title inspired by Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, adapted from Ingmar Bergman’s Smiles of a Summer Night] Curiosity, yes (What a story one could write using this picture prompt!). But more so, gratitude. Moments of beauty and curiosity have ways of showing up when they are the least likely qualities I’m holding in my heart. Driving home from Syracuse University, we stopped to unfurl(?) — our folded bodies contorted within our sedan for some hours and to have a bite. Walking into the woody rest area, I espied…
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What’s normal?
Source: http://exercisebeforeknitting.com/ “Normal is nothing more than a cycle on a washing machine.” -Whoopi Goldberg
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Mere Mortals
I heard from a friend that a reputable researcher was gravely ill. We came to the same conclusion, “So what is the point of striving?” :) We can say his research will live on and impact the lives of those who follow in his footsteps. Watching a loved one vanish through Alzheimer’s over time taught me how important it is to keep a work-life balance and to see life as a series of cherished experiences. Whatever I spend a lot of time on must be something that matters. As my…
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Next Steps in Arts Think Tank: A Milestone Part 1
I had an enriching time at Milwaukee, learning and soaking in the experience of watching something profound unfold and transform everyone present — both the actors and the audience. Several people wept just talking about it. A-ma-zing. I’m grateful to be a part of history in the making. Yes, I do believe Dr. Basting’s research will mark a turning point in the use of arts for public health issues. This experience also marks a turning point in my doctoral journey. It’s a confirmation, a feeling I get that my dissertation…
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Resilience
In an interview with Elizabeth Edwards, Matt Lauer read the last paragraph in Edwards’ book aloud: “I have said before that I do not know what the most important lesson is that I will ever teach my children, Cate and Emma Claire and Jack. I do know that when they are older and telling their own children about their grandmother, they will be able to say that she stood in the storm, and when the wind did not go her way — and surely it has not — she adjusted…
