Depth Year 2020: Trying to See ClearlyWe live in a culture of easy acquisition and disposal, and this has caused us to be rather flippant in the ways we spend our time. I felt…Jan 2, 2020Jan 2, 2020
The People from Porlock: Trying to Write in a Noisy WorldSpeech is silver, but silence is golden. How a lack of quiet spaces interferes with your creativity.Jul 23, 2019Jul 23, 2019
The Virtue of Silence in the Library: An Equity IssueAccess to library silence is an equity issue. Here’s how.Jul 21, 2019Jul 21, 2019
Who Are You and What Do You Do?A year ago, the idea I would ever involve myself in baking was laughable. My kitchen is small and not modernized. The oven is old and…Jun 12, 2019Jun 12, 2019
Your Independent Education: Becoming a Better WriterIf you’re looking for ideas to write about or ways to supplement and develop your writing, try accessing some of the content available…Jun 12, 2019Jun 12, 2019
Connecting with Others, One Zine at a TimeI’m looking back on my old posts in Facebook from over ten years ago and finding interesting snippets, some of which seem increasingly…Jun 12, 2019Jun 12, 2019
The Fox and the HedgehogThe fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.May 17, 2019May 17, 2019
Even Small Acts of Appreciation: Retaining VolunteersVolunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” ~Elizabeth AndrewApr 25, 2019Apr 25, 2019
Trickle Up: Seeking Social Justice at the Local LevelI grew up in a small unincorporated area outside of Woodstock, Illinois that is dotted with horse, dairy, and buffalo farms. Woodstock’s…Apr 14, 2019Apr 14, 2019
Saved from the Brink of ExtinctionIceland is a relatively young landmass that sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a place where the North American and Eurasian continental…Mar 19, 2019Mar 19, 2019
Help Make Chicago a Leader in Bird-Friendly Building DesignMillions of birds migrate through Chicago twice a year every year. Birds have followed the natural corridor of Lake Michigan for thousands…Mar 2, 2019Mar 2, 2019
When “no-kill” doesn’t mean no killIf you’re like me, when searching for a companion animal to adopt or a shelter to support, you specifically seek out a no-kill shelter…Feb 7, 20192Feb 7, 20192
Animal Abandonment: A Societal IssueIf you were to ask an average animal shelter employee how many companion animals are abandoned each year in the United States, chances are…Jan 30, 2019Jan 30, 2019
The Enduring Power of Moby-DickWriting Moby-Dick when he was only thirty-one (between 1850 and 1851), Herman Melville could not have imagined that his novel would one…Jan 22, 2019Jan 22, 2019
“Do you even speak English?”Yesterday at the bakery, I was restocking red velvet, blueberry, and lemon sliced loaf cakes that seem to be popular among our customers…Dec 28, 2018Dec 28, 2018
“I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that”“Last chance to take your assessment for Little Greenhouse Promise*,” said the email in large, black, bold letters. I passed the cell…Dec 20, 2018Dec 20, 2018
Mistakes Were Made: Lessons in PerseveranceI hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things…Dec 4, 2018Dec 4, 2018
Bird by Bird: Grant Writing Research for Chicago Audubon Society“Are you dreaming?” my life coach asks me every time I see her, pen poised above her yellow legal pad. I shake my head no, yet that isn’t…Oct 17, 2018Oct 17, 2018
