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What I Didn’t Have in College
It’s time for the first Cup of Candor, so grab your coffee or tea, and let’s chat. When I decided to embark on this new format for Steph’s Scribe and change the theme of the blog to A Cup of Candor, it came with an open invitation to my readers to offer suggestions of things they would like to see. One of my former students, a blogger herself at The Faithful Elephant, suggested I do a piece on “notes to my younger self.” I could open a can of worms with that one, believe me, as I’ve experienced some very hard and emotionally draining and heartbreaking life lessons along the…
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A Review of My Blog by The Villager
Well, I am absolutely flattered that Stevenson University’s newspaper, The Villager, reviewed Steph’s Scribe, and gave it a good review. I can honestly say, my blog has never been reviewed before, so that was exciting to see. Thank you to Chip Rouse, The Villager advisor, and writer Bri Buttner, for the great piece. I will say that I take great pride in my blog, and I do play around with it quite a bit. I like playing with the aesthetics, photography, and content, and I always try to mix it up. I’ve been consistently blogging since 2011, when I wrote my first post, and I’ve never stopped. I truly enjoy writing,…
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News, Recaps, and Congrats to Many Today on the Blog
Gosh, life is busy, isn’t it? We’re all just pushing through each day trying to accomplish all that we can during the 12+ hours we are awake. That said, it’s been a busy April, as it often is in the university world. With three weeks remaining of the semester, the students are getting ready for their final presentations, papers, and pitches. I am excited to see what unfolds in the classroom. In the meantime, I don’t do this often, but I wanted to share some updates here on the blog. Congrats, Leeanne! I want to congratulate my colleague, friend, and co-author of Event Planning: Communicating Theory & Practice, Dr. Leeanne…
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Reconnecting with My Passion for Fashion
* Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve loved fashion. About 10 years ago now, I loved it so much, I decided to become a certified fashion consultant. At the time, I taught one communication course at Stevenson University as an adjunct professor. My children were small, and it was something that got me out of the house one morning on the weekend. I enrolled in a weekend-long intensive course in Virginia and became a local version of “Stacy London” of What Not to Wear fame. I would help women, mostly young moms who were returning to work, rebuild their professional wardrobes. I went in people’s closets and dissected their…
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Back at Camden Yards, Pangs of Nostalgia and Thankfulness
* This morning I took a ride to Camden Yards. It was surreal—like going back in time to the commute I did for many years from 1992 through 1998 when I was a full-time employee of the ballclub. (Prior to that, beginning in 1985, I commuted to old Memorial Stadium). I had to pick up something from our friend Mark at the Orioles offices for my son’s birthday. On my drive in, as I am often capable of doing, I became nostalgic remembering old times. I also got to thinking about how that job of working for the Orioles completely transformed my life. And I don’t write that lightly. It…
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To Blink = Change
This getting older thing causes a lot of nostalgia. It really does. I’m not sure where it comes from sometimes, but it seems to creep into my life daily. The years are marked by “big moments,” and some of them come barreling along, and some sneak in quietly. Lately, it seems every time I turn around, something is changing. First, my son got his driver’s permit. It’s exciting, but it’s one of those aspects of your life that makes you say, “I remember just yesterday he was dancing to the Wiggles.” Jeez. He’s months away from driving and two years away from college. How did we get here so fast?…
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For Graduates: There is Always A Place For You
* * * At college and university graduations across the country, ceremonies will be chock full of great quotes, wonderful inspirational sentiments, and often excerpts of poetry. Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken,” is a popular favorite—and an amazing poem. However, for my graduates who are about to enter the working world or continue on to graduate school, this little poem has always been one of my favorites by Anne Campbell. I share it with you now as I wish you well, hope you have wonderful successes and happiness ahead of you, and cherish the times we shared at Stevenson. Remember: there is always a place for you. There…
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In Honor of Teacher Appreciation Week & A Thank You to My Students
In the laundry room on Pointer Ridge Drive in Bowie, Maryland, where I grew up, my parents hung my large blackboard I got for Christmas. The laundry room was a good size, and the perfect place for me to set up my schoolroom. My aunt had given me a grade book she used when she was a teacher, and at the age of eight, I began practicing to be a teacher by writing on the board, planning lessons, and marking the imagined students’ grades in my grade book. Mrs. Schuman and Ms. Cosby were my fourth grade teachers, and I watched how they conducted the class. I wanted to be…
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Some Highlights & Appreciation
This past week began with a bang as viewers were treated to another outstanding episode of Downton Abbey. With Robert’s bloody collapse at the dinner table, we were left wondering if all will be okay in the great house in England. If you are like my family and me and are becoming sadder and sadder with each passing episode because there are only a few episodes left of this A+ show, you can become even more filled with grief because when it is over, you will no longer be able to read the wonderfully entertaining recaps written by Joe Heim at The Washington Post. Each Monday, my father, mother, and…
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Friday Fodder | It’s Been a Good Week
Honorable Mention Award | Readers’ Favorite 2015 Whenever something you’ve written garners a little recognition, it’s a good thing. Getting another nod from Readers’ Favorite made my week, as Baseball Girl was a project I worked on for three years. Seeing it earn an award in the category of Sports Fiction made me happy, too. Moreover, I’m blessed to have so many friends and family supporters who not only encourage me to write, but also share the news and are genuinely pleased for me. When you sweat over a project for as long as I did (and for some people even longer), when you pour your blood, sweat, and tears…
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Sharing Some Good News
While I continue to wrap up the editing and preparation of my fictional work, “Baseball Girl,” and still strive to release it in August, more good news came to pass. Along with my colleagues at Stevenson University—Chip Rouse & Leeanne Bell McManus—we are about to embark on a new challenge: writing an Event Planning textbook. We signed our contract yesterday and celebrated. We’ve been working on this concept for the last year, and are now ready to begin this process and start writing. We are so pleased and are all ready for this exciting, new challenge. Congrats to my fellow authors, Chip & Leeanne. I am so honored to work…
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What I Remember About My College Graduation
First, let me begin my saying, my graduation took place a long time ago. Second, I had a 103 degree fever, the chills, the sweats, and one of the sorest throats I can ever remember having. It was also the last time I had strep throat, which is a good thing for me, because I’ve developed an allergy to Penicillin. Third, I have absolutely no recollection of who spoke, what was said, and what “lasting impression” I have from that day. I was sick. All I could think about was going back to my family’s house and going to bed. I ran myself down at the end of the semester…
