Tonkin to You!

 It's been a few weeks since my last blog post, and for good reason.  Accomplishing ANYTHING is simply harder during a global pandemic (imagine nodding your head in agreement to THAT sentence a year ago).  Our energy is tapped, our attention split, and our sources of anxiety have multiplied like, well, a VIRUS! As an in-person teacher, it's very easy for me to get caught up in all of my extra duties and concerns.  The classroom is no longer just a physical space but a construct; some students are there in person while others appear via Zoom video (or request recordings to view at their convenience at a later time).  The very idea of simultaneous existence in proximity to one another was stretched to its boundaries a few weeks back when I had to implement a new class rule: No attending class while driving.  Students were literally Zooming in behind the wheel.  Amidst this chaos and new responsibilities, we leaders can sometimes forget that something big...

 Saying 2020 has been a strange year is like calling the explosion of Mt. Vesuvius "a volcanic event."   It's truly hard to put the sheer amount of upheaval we've been experiencing into a few words.  At a recent music gig (yes, a real gig...in 2020), I got to speak with a bandmate; we came to the conclusion that one of the biggest sources of angst in this year of change comes from the lack of foundations.  In nearly any other year, there were certain constants we could count on.  Health.  Dysfunctional-yet-still-functioning government.  Friendships based on love and respect rather than political affiliations.  The availability of social gatherings (and the ability to safely attend).  My bandmate and I agreed that existing in 2020 was like standing on a platform made of Jell-o; step too hard, and the earth might actually move beneath your feet.  Way back in March of this year, before reality as we know it had truly begun to come apar...

  We've heard it all before.   I know!  I get it already! You don't have to repeat yourself.   Actually, yes, we do...... Whether you're a parent, a manager, or a college professor, we've heard similar things.  People don't like it when we repeat ourselves.  However, such reactions don't mean that repetition is a BAD thing.  In the same way that few children will voluntarily eat green vegetables, sometimes repetition is a way of ensuring that healthy, good-for-you content makes its way into the brains of our recipients.  Why should we be repetitive?  The Rule of 7 suggests that people have to hear something seven times before recalling it (though a Microsoft study indicated the number can range from 6-20) (https://thefinancialbrand.com/42323/advertising-marketing-messages-effective-frequency/#:~:text=Some%20say%20repeating%20a%20message,6%20and%2020%20was%20best).  My rule of thumb for communications classes goes something like...

Did you know that today is Batman Day 2020?  Yes, in an era where there's a holiday for everything, Batman got his some time ago....and thank goodness! Some people have strong religious convictions.  Others believe in government...or the lack thereof.  Our friends might find meaning in nature, mathematics, or the physical makeup of the known (and unknown universe).  We all have our beliefs.  Mine is Batman.  I truly believe in the Dark Knight.  This simple statement is no surprise to those who know me even a little bit.  My offices at home and work are virtual shrines to the man behind the cape and cowl, with armies of action figures that would make any 8-year-old comic nerd's heart skip a beat.  There are signed drawings, paintings from students (some of my most prized possessions), photos, and tons of memorabilia, both things I have purchased and many other thoughtful gifts.  Once people find out you're "into" something, they tend to e...

  One of the best parts of being a college professor is the opportunity to help young people find the answers to their own problems.  It's quite an honor to be entrusted with the well being of someone's son or daughter...and not a duty to be taken lightly.   The pressures come from all corners...concerned parents attempting to make the most of hard-earned tuition dollars, a fickle and ever-changing job market, and the self-questioning souls of the students we are speaking with.  All of these stakeholders agonize if the one true path is revealing itself; a road to enlightenment, self-actualization, and financial security surely exists somewhere, right? Yes.  And no.  The key word is "and."  One of the most honest pieces of advice I have ever given my students is that no single or "right" path to success truly exists, especially when the very concept of "success" changes in ways similar to our own biological existence.  Most parts of our own bo...

Late summer/early autumn seldom gets more beautiful than today; 85 degrees, low humidity, and blue skies greeted me as I arrived home a little earlier than usual for a Tuesday.  My Jack Russel Willis and I took advantage of the conditions for a fantastic hike at Canoe Creek, one of the plethora of PA state parks near us.  For the record, here's a picture of my furry friend.  Saying "awww" is an entirely appropriate response, as he is really cute:  As we were on our way to the last leg of the trail, it seemed like a chorus of work commitments began singing to me.  All of the upcoming meetings and lessons, as well as the papers un-graded and dissertation sections not-yet-written, seemed to be chastising me. "This walk in the woods is distracting me from what I really should be getting done," I thought for a moment.  Then I looked down at my little dog's earnest brown eyes and knew I had it backwards.  "All of those things I need to do are distracting me ...

 In my last posting, I presented some well-documented reasons why we should be careful about what we post online.  In short, a good part of the world's population is active on social media...and watching what we say.  Some of these billions of people could be people with substantial influence over parts of our lives...including social standing and employment! This posting is all about some common sense ways to manage our personal responses online.  Everybody knows that grandmothers are some of the most wise people on the planet...and in 2020, it makes particular sense to pay attention to this grandmother-ism:  Little did our nanas know that they'd be predicting a sound strategy for managing our presences on social media!  No matter how we try to hold our keyboard "tongues," there will always be those posts that test our patience.  Be they ill-informed memes, political rants, or mistakes of "their, they're, there," it can be really challenging not to fa...