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Red at night, sailor's delight Most of my inner circle will tell you, I don't wait long to change something when I notice that it needs to change. It could be a painting. It could be my exercise routine. It could be the way I'm communicating with someone, or myself. It could be something in the business. If it needs to change, I generally invest a massive amount of thought and energy in observing and understanding the issue and then I make a change -- any change. This has man

Feed me first Over and over again, a theme I see in my life and is echoed in the lives of those I serve, is the 'thing you don't want but have'. Right now, I have a course with very few students, when what I want is a course full of students. All of us, no exceptions, and please come tell me if you think you are the exception, push against that thing we don't want. We work very hard to get it to go away. Or, we become lethargic and succumb to apathy as a way to avoid it. Or,

Slade teaching dance at OSU KidSpirit circa 2010 Before we start, yes, I used to have hair. But besides that, you know what I've always had, even when I didn't know I had it? A desire to teach. I often say that I was teaching kids when I was a kid. One of my first jobs was teaching dance and theatre at Children's Educational Theatre in Salem, Or. My second job was working at an eye clinic, but that's besides the point. This week as I wrestled with the beast of marketing and s

How often do you hear yourself say the phrase, "I just don't have time"? In honor of my amazing linguistics professor, Cornelia Paraskevas, let's break down at least one of these words. We will begin with the word 'just'. The history of his word takes its roots in several senses. We are to understand that 'just' could relate to justice, or 'as in "exactly" in space, time, kind, or degree; "precisely, without interval, deviation, or variation" ( Etymonline.com , 2025). When we

Singing in the Rain (MGM, 1952) One of my favorite moments in the film, Singing in the Rain , is the fantastical modern ballet towards the end that features a young start-up eager to prove himself on Broadway. In it, Gene Kelly's character bounds around the imagined Broadway streets, rhythmically knocking on agents' doors, and belting out, " GOTTA DANCE! " Two times the character is rejected, and each time he rebounds resets and knocks on another door. Finally, third times a

The Ark Under Construction Do you ever think about what would have happened for Noah if he built the ark and the rains never came? Would that mean that God didn't speak to him or did he misunderstand? I wonder how long it took for the rains and floods to actually occur. A "highly detailed" search, summarized by AI guesstimates that it could have taken anywhere from 40-75 years. Now, let's not squabble over the details, or if this is truth or fantasy, let's just pretend it act

I read a talk this week from Dallin H. Oaks entitled ' Why Do We Serve? ' It is a stirring call to action that invites the reader to consider their intentions for doing good in the world. I highly recommend it, if you are interested in reflecting on your own intentions. For me, President Oak's message generated deep thoughts on why and how I'm promoting this Passion Project. In the last couple weeks I've considered if my passion project is just the career course I referenced

I wrote a poem some years ago titled, "Daffodil Fingers." It goes like this Daffodil Fingers Can you see her there? An ancient friend,...

A mentor reached out this week to ask how I was doing. I said, "Pushing the envelope and trying to make big things happen. So, naturally...

I transitioned away from higher education and into a private mental health practice in 2021 because I was hungry. I was hungry for...

She called it accumulated sadness. In the same way people talk about old money. Her sadness was old. From before her time. Gifted to her as an inheritance by the prior generation. In the early years she balked at the melancholic tradition, swishing and chasseing through life until there was nothing left but a naked reality that didn’t pay the bills or buy enough food. they were right to be sad she said. when there is nothing left Her face as flat as the morning sea. She

They know each other and yet they don’t. Like two moons orbiting the same planet, only realizing the other at their most recent eclipse....

Some years ago I made the acquaintance of an old oak tree. She lived at the corner of Opportunity and Convenience. Each day was very...

I recently found myself in a heavy place. It was a Wednesday, and I did all I could to shift the weight. I phoned a friend. I served a...

I see you. I see the way you manage the myriad of motivating mandates that dictate and direct your life. I see you racing, so full of...

Words are the essential elements of my life. They make me employable, relatable, visible. I will not say I am nothing without words but...