A Staff Perspective on Graduation

Posted by On Filed under Pause for Reflection
A Staff Perspective on Graduation

On May 5th, I attended the Vermont Technical College Commencement. It being my first at Vermont Tech, there was a natural charge, but it got me to thinking about all of the official college events I’ve been to over the nine years I’ve been in higher education.

When I worked at Norwich University, there was Convocation, Commencement, all kinds of celebratory events and weekly parades, due to NU being a military college. (I do miss the parades.) When I worked at Goddard College, I attended more than 30 opening sessions and 30 graduations, since nearly each program had its own residency. At Vermont Tech, I’m getting back into the routine of a residential campus and the traditional touch points of an academic year.

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New Year’s Reflections

Posted by On Filed under Pause for Reflection
New Year’s Reflections

I don’t like New Year’s resolutions, but I do like reflecting at the end of the year. And while I’ve tried some of the standard reflection questions (what worked well? what didn’t work so well?), I get pretty bored with them. So this year I came up with my own list.  It’s a bit quirky, but it works for me.

New Year’s Reflection Questions:

  • When did I last laugh so hard that I cried, (almost) peed my pants or hurt the muscles in my stomach?  What were the circumstances and can I replicate them at least twice as often in the new year?

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Things I would tell my younger self

Posted by On Filed under Pause for Reflection
Things I would tell my younger self

Here are just a few things I would tell my younger self. Just a quick post today.

Younger self:

  • Breathe. Again. And again….
  • You can endure much more than you think you can (or should have to).
  • Don’t use the credit card!
  • Pay cash for the car – and get the used one.
  • Let go of your pride yourself so that it won’t feel so bad when someone knocks it out of you.
  • Stop eating sugar.
  • Buy a bicycle.
  • If you paid down your debt and started saving right out of college, you could retire by the age of 40.
  • Reclaim your body. Don’t wait until you’re 27 and rollerblading on the rec. path. Although, that was fun too.
  • Go to the chiropractor regularly.

Project on Civic Reflection: New Leadership, New Look, New Name

Posted by On Filed under Pause for Reflection
Project on Civic Reflection: New Leadership, New Look, New Name

The Project on Civic Reflection, under Elizabeth Lynn’s leadership, has grown in leaps and bounds and brought very meaningful dialogue to my life, as well as many others. The announcements, below, were made this week.

I wish Elizabeth the best of luck in this new chapter of her life. I wish Adam all the best as well as he takes on the helm of the Center for Civic Reflection!

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Blog Action Day 2010: WATER

Posted by On Filed under Health, Marketing, Pause for Reflection
Blog Action Day 2010: WATER

Since my mid-teens, I’ve been a volunteer and activist. I’ve worked on all kinds of issues and in all kinds of communities, from senior citizens to youth, from hunger and poverty to symphonies, from politics and gay rights to education and inner transformation.

In recent years, I’ve struggled with where I should put my time, energy and money, in order to have the largest impact possible. The more I take apart every issue and dig deeper and deeper, the more I realize: it all comes down to water.

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Karma: Looking at our Professions

Posted by On Filed under Doing Business Differently, Pause for Reflection
Karma: Looking at our Professions
I wonder what happens if karma is taken into account with our professions?
Karma is the Hindu concept that one brings upon oneself inevitable results, either good or bad, in this life or some next life. So I can understand that when one does something good, it comes back to bless you. The reverse is true with bad actions.
I’m not sure about neutral actions, though, and also our professions. Some jobs seem inherently good or bad – they’re obvious and universally understood. But what about all the work in the gray areas?

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Civic Reflection: Town Meeting Day

Posted by On Filed under Pause for Reflection
Civic Reflection: Town Meeting Day

Today is Town Meeting Day in Vermont. It’s a state holiday, so some workers (not all) have the day off to participate in, essentially, an annual meeting of their town. Some items of substance are discussed (budgets, elected officials) but many people describe it as a community-wide social activity.

I’m thinking about two things on this day. The first, that many formerly-elected officials (Al Gore, Evan Bayh) have said that the politic arena isn’t the place to get things done anymore.

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