Dear Professor Mackowski ( Read more... )

“Miracles happen,” Bill Strickland says. “You can mold them in your hands.”

Strickland was talking specifically about his novice experience at the potter’s wheel back in 1966, where he learned to shape lumps of clay into pieces of art. He intends his story, told in his book Make the Impossible Possible, as a larger metaphor for life, though: Your ( Read more... )

On her blog, vivitalia wrote a beautiful reflection on her relationship to Dr. Seuss's Oh, The Places You'll Go, which she received as a graduation present from her parents. It's one of my favorite Seuss books, and I occasionally read it to students near the end of a class or the end of the year. Not always, but sometimes...when the chemistry between me and ( Read more... )

On one hand, I suspect my FB page often looks like it belongs to a positive-energy, self-affirmation guru. I try not to flood it with platitudinal self-help warm-and-fuzzies, and try not to be new-agey, either. I try to post quotes that would be of interest to wide audiences. Still, once upon a time, that kind of stuff used to drive me nuts when I ( Read more... )

I had a student write this to me today ( Read more... )

"The Faculty Recommendations Committee (Committee) has reviewed your application for Promotion. Based upon the documentation provided, the Committee is pleased to recommend approval of your application for Promotion."

Sincerely
Zahid Y. Khairullah
Chair, Faculty Committee on Recommendations

(The president will still have to make a final decision ( Read more... )

I'm in the home stretch here in Uganda, and already I'm looking ahead toward May when I will, in all probability, be coming back. I plan to bring Steph with me then, too, which will be wonderful. I've been able to Skype with the kids twice and text via FB with Steph and swap e-mails with Jackson, so I'm glad I've been able to stay in touch because ( Read more... )

I've been spending time today thinking about the many gifts I have in life. These are things I am thankful for but, in the midst of my calamitous gloom over the past few months, I probably haven't spent enough time really focusing on just how grateful I am for these things:( Read on, Macduff.... )

The university's press release about the Emerging Civil War book series:( Read on, Macduff: )

I got this note from a student today, which was a much-appreciated gesture ( Read more... )