Students’ success stories reinforce why I teach

After writing the sailing post below, I was a bit drained emotionally. But my spirits soon lifted with the visit of two students.
I was asked to dinner by a current student who wanted to share her good news with me personally. She had just been offered a great job with a top PR firm. Even though [...]

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What I learned from sailing without ever going to sea

It was a fine bright day in the North Atlantic. Winds blew steady from the southeast. I set a full mainsail, staysail, and lapper. Then I checked the self-steering mechanism, and satisfied all was well, went below to brew some coffee. I was making about five knots an hour in my tough little cutter. Dead [...]

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Don’t ignore the beauty around you

I often dream of visitng every one of America’s national parks. We are blessed with incredible beauty in these magnificient parks, and I want to see it all.

But when youa re under contract to teach two semester and one summer session a year, there is little time for that much travel. I console myself by merely opening my eyes to the sheer beauty and wonder right before me, literally right in my back yard.

I shot these hydrangea after a summer rain storm with my Canon 40D DSLR and a 28-300mm tetephoto

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I need help with a TweetDeck problem

I’ve been using TweetDeck successfully for several weeks. But a few days ago, I received an update message. I clicked it, and ever since, I have been unable to use TweetDeck. When I open it, I get a blank page with no columns. I cannot make anything appear, no matter what I do.
I tried removing [...]

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Practicing safe text while driving, Virginia style

Effective today, it is illegal to send text messages and a secondary offense to receive text messages or emails while operating a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Bout time, I say. Texting and driving is about as irresponsible and reprehensible as driving while intoxicated.
According to research conducted recently by textfreedriving.org, 57 percent of drivers admit to [...]

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