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Showing posts from December, 2018

A Look Back

Dickens, who's already written most of the stories there are in the world, seems to best express how I feel about the past year. Yes, from A TALE OF TWO CITIES, that whole best/worst thing. Although maybe not. I can imagine worse, although I am fearful to, and I can also hope for better. I'm speaking about the world in general, here. For me personally, many parts of 2018 were good and others were, uh, less good. How ever un-good my "less good" times were, I'm still very fortunate and I know it. The two best lessons I learned and practiced, both toward the end of the year, are what I'm clinging to as the earth rotates and revolves around the sun. 1. Stretch. 2. Drink water. Yep. Simple. But not always easy. This last quarter, I've focused largely on taking care of family, including myself, in projects with both short- and long-term timeframes. I hope to be able to look outward and better care for others in the world in 2019. And you? See you

What Makes a Review Good?

For this post, here's one given: a "good" review is one that contains information valuable to someone other than the reviewer. Which means that "I liked it" or "I didn't like it," as expressed by thumbs up or down, aren't helpful reviews. For a positive example, here's a link to the YouTube channel (where you can find her playlists) of Cindy Guentert-Baldo , with some amazingly helpful reviews, if you're interested in various types of pens and planners. NB: she also has an awesome website, here . Cindy is one of the most upfront, thoughtful reviewers I've run across (and I've been watching a lot of online reviews of various consumer and other products in the past year). Two qualities contribute to her success as a reviewer. First, Cindy knows herself. And second, she considers other perspectives. Cindy is experienced in graphic design and hand-lettering. She is right-handed but she has a teenager who's a lefty (this

Go with Love and Respect

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Difficult news in Thunder Bay. Another young life lost. More defensiveness and shoulder shrugs. And a new report that attempts to create some sort of accountability for the past. I can read news reports, like those linked above. I can read all sorts of public documents, but I am all too aware--having been a person who wrote documents--the silences and omissions and safe statements in much public information. For a couple of years now, I've been trying to listen for underrepresented voices and lift them up. It doesn't matter whether I agree with what they say. I try to understand. I get burned out and take a break. I go back and try again to read and learn, and (hardest of all) to curb my desire to "weigh in" and argue and question. In recent years, parts of the Canadian literary community have also been trying to lift up Indigenous and other underrepresented voices. Recently, this collaboration between Prairie Fire and CV2 appeared in my mailbox. And wh

Re-Thinking Childhood Classics

Last week, I wrote about my November book, Little Women . As is always the case when I read my "old faves," I was uncomfortably aware of statements and omissions that are, frankly, racist and classist. And I wanted to get some perspective. So I did, at this invaluable resource: American Indians in Children's Literature . Dr. Debbie Reese founded and managed this resource for years, and now has help. An enrolled member of the Nambe Pueblo in New Mexico, she has also held positions at the University of Illinois. She and Jean Mendoza share their reviews of books--both books they recommend and those they don't (with reasons why)--and welcome thoughtful comments and discussion. Although Little Women isn't discussed much, many of my other childhood favourites are. I've learned a lot from the resources and conversations. I would say that I don't always agree with the perspectives, but that's really not my place. I have too much to learn. I may have lin