Prompt: Create a poem from the titles and lyrics of your top songs.

Music Credits

• Wandering Sadhu — Desert Dwellers
• 8 Letters — Why Don’t We
• Silence — Before You Exit
• What A Time — Julia Michaels, Niall Horan
• Lost — Blake Rose
• What About Us? — P!nk
• There’s No Way — Lauv, Julia Michaels
• London — Mokita
• Starlight — Jai Wolf, Mr. Gabriel
• Begin — Shallou, Wales
• Your Shirt — Chelsea Cutler
• Love Alone — Mokita
• Hurt Somebody — Noah Kahan, Julia Michaels
• Find — Shallou, Kasbo, Cody Lovaas
• Over and Over — Ben Elson
• shut up — Greyson Chance
• So Fine —…

I’m running but I pause to put on the extra layer that I brought because I thought I’d be calling my friend.

It’s 12:35PM.

“Same time tomorrow,” we’d said.

She wants someone who understands her. It’s a confusing time.

I call her.

No response.

“Sorry, my mom just called,” she texts.

I breathe and my eyes are rolling before I can stop them.

That was my boyfriend’s excuse. Ex.

• Well your mom understands you best.
• Right! What a coincidence!
• If you didn’t want to talk why didn’t you just say so?
• What time is it over there, 11:30PM?
• I’m supposed to believe that your mom stays up that late? …

Ok wow, I sat down to read this book and thought, I’ll take it one chapter at a time, maybe finish in a few days.

5 hours later… I’m sitting there hugging this book to my chest.

Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite book —a definite keeper though it’s from the library (don’t worry, I will return it eventually):

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple: 10 Strategies for Managing Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Panic, and Worry by Dr. Seth J. Gillihan

As I was reading, I reflected back on a time in my life when I sought out therapy. It was a long time ago, and I didn’t really know what specific type it was… until this book. …

It was very immersive to read Messengers: Who We Listen To, Who We Don’t, and Why, by Stephen Martin and Joseph Marks. Personally, I want to be heard and trusted. Socially, I’m curious why some people are heard and trusted more than others and which traits might explain the difference.

• Why are the memoirs of famous people so much more popular and highly valued than memoirs of ordinary people who are significant and interesting in their own right?
• Are there certain traits that make people better messengers?

Turns out fame is actually one of them, in the form of status. Messengers covers 8 traits of powerful messengers, including hard traits like dominance, competence, status, and attractiveness; and soft traits like vulnerability, trustworthiness, warmth, and charisma. …

Emotional Intelligence

One time, I was giving a presentation to my supervisor and our boss. To start out, I was unprepared and off-kilter. I hastily put together slides that I thought I’d have more time to work on because the real presentation was days away.

Our boss kept interrupting me and asking tough questions and I fumbled through them. By the end of the presentation, just after she left, I collapsed into my chair.

“Don’t worry, she usually asks hard questions,” my supervisor said. This was a normal procedure: a cross-examination in preparation for the real thing.

I nodded and shook my head, unable to speak. …

My inspiration for this article is the book, Simple Rules by Donald Sull and Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, and a virtual webinar about ‘rule-following’ people.

The presentation touched upon how people who appear too perfect are demeaned. No one wants to feel less than just because somebody is more than. Thus, it’s a common reaction by the general public to ignore or downplay environmental advocates whose practices are too extreme to follow:

• Environmental advocates who are reasonably eco in their own lifestyle get slightly higher persuasion ratings than people who are extremely eco — e.g. …

#1. No Islanders

• Have an inclusive student atmosphere where each person’s voice is valued.

#2. Spread Positive Associations

• Let the kids define their own skin color.
• Flip the narrative — don’t spread gossip about your Black students.

#3. Value the Unpaid Work of Black Administrators

• Black administrators end up doing lots of unpaid work dealing with racial tensions and its repercussions among student body and student-teacher or parent-teacher interactions.
• Do your part to help carry some of this burden by having those challenging conversations with your Black students, and don’t push them away.

#4. Push for Black Excellence

• Don’t give extra slack on homework, don’t force them to come to you during their free periods, but do encourage, and do support. …

Here are notes and quotes from my conversation with business strategy consultant, Neil Chavan, who has been working at Newry Corps in Cleveland, Ohio for 13 months and recently got appointed to the Lakewood Community Relations Advisory Commission in Lakewood, Ohio… just by asking around and expressing interest in public service.

It’s a 25 minute episode — concise, and worth a listen if you have the time!

(1:54) About non-profit grant-writing work at the Post-Landfill Action Network (PLAN)

• (2:38) “It’s very much about storytelling and that’s really the key; it’s about sharing your journey, your mission, your vision, how you inspire others, and trying to get people to subscribe to what you’re doing.” …