Come Chatterbox with Us....

Hello and well met, friends!

I am excited to have just completed the second week of the semester and beginning the third.  We still seem to be holding healthy and though there’s a flurry of activity around testing, vaccinations, and uploading paperwork, there is also a steady focus on learning and getting back into the swing of education in an actual classroom.  I hope that you are finding the transition a relatively painless one though I suspect that many of you, like me, are finding it remarkably exhausting as well.  It’s okay to be tired and a little overwhelmed.  Hopefully things are going to settle down for us all and we will forge ahead with a semester of good learning and good experiences at FLCC.

I’m pleased to announce that we will be continuing the Honors Talk Series this semester, with an added twist!  Since we are now back on campus, I’m happy to say that our talks can now be a mixture of in-person and virtual.  FLCC has these amazing classrooms that are fitted to serve students who are remote as well as ones sitting in the room so I think that is a perfect way for us to have these talks.  This allows you to choose each time; you can come to an actual room with the speakers and hang out with others (masked, of course!) or log in from the comfort of your car, home, or wherever else.  Either option will allow you to participate in any discussion, ask questions, and be present in real time.  So far, this is what we are working on...

• “Cultivating Curiosity” with Dr. Jonathan Keiser, Provost of FLCC
• “What I Did With My Liberal Arts Degree” with three FLCC alumni: Mandi Brown (’09), Jeff Dugan (’12), and Cheyenne Wilke (’15)
• "Exploring Science in Our World" with John Bateman, Assistant Professor in Conservation
• “Marketing and Selling Your Art” with Sara Jackson (’12)
• “Tales from the West Coast” with Riot Games narrative writer Ro Williams
• “Wooly to Wearable, the Joy of Sheep Keeping” with Lydia Garofalo (’21)
• "Cultural Competency and Cultural Humility" with Nasim Sarvaiya, Assistant Professor of Social Science
• "Inhumane Humanitarianism" with Jade Myers (’12)
• "Addiction and Navigating Sobriety" with Jenna Williams (’20)
• "Mental Wellness in a World that Doesn't Value It" with Laura Johnson, Bookstore Director at FLCC

I think this is an AMAZING list and I hope there is something on here that you find interesting.  We will have dates and descriptions coming soon, so keep your eyes open.

You may have also noticed, if you are enrolled in an FLCC Honors class this semester, that you are now getting emails from me.  I hope this will help us to communicate more smoothly.  We also have Facebook and I am in the process of setting up a Discord for Honors.  Let me know if you want to be part of this project.  Perhaps you even want to help resurrect the Honors Club at FLCC?  There are so many ways to get involved and I hope that you will find your place at FLCC and in FLCC Honors. 

Half a face is better than no face...

 

Happy new semester one and all!

Whether you are brand new, returning, or returning after a time away, welcome!  I am so excited to be back in my office, hearing the chatter of voices in the hallway.  They may be muffled by masks, but they are there.  The halls and classrooms across campus have life and energy again and that feels amazing.  We aren’t out of the woods yet, of course.  We have some work to do to ensure the health of everyone around us, but we are making strides towards a world with less COVID in it.  And that’s not a bad thing.

It’s been an interesting ride, hasn’t it?  Strides are being made, but we have also seen politics and fear get in the way of the greater good.  It’s troubling to see, but I hope you know that SUNY and FLCC and Honors are doing what we can to bring folks back and to keep them healthy while here.  So, keep your mask on, keep your distance when you can and when you smile?  Well, make sure it reaches your eyes – that way we can all see it even with the mask on!

And maybe you aren't on campus much and are taking online classes or remote ones or hyflex ones.  It doesn't really matter what format your classes take.  What matters is that you are here and that you are ready to learn.  It's the start of a new semester - we are still in summer weather, but we know those chill days are coming.  We know some of what lies ahead, but there is always the unknown, too.  Find excitement in these early days of the semester.  Think about all the friends and acquaintances you will make, the things you will learn, the strides you will make towards reaching your goals.  We are glad you are here...in whatever form that 'here' takes.

I wish you all the very best in the days and months ahead.  We have a small number of Honors classes this semester – in English, science, and sociology.  We hope to have more in the future, but we have struggled in the pandemic, like everyone else.  That Honors feeling is hard to capture when we cannot share the same space.  We did a good job with what we had, but being in the same space for as long as we can will make a huge difference and I am so glad you're going to be a part of it.

So, stay healthy, get good sleep and good nutrition, stay tuned for Honors events you can attend in person or virtually, and, of course, STAY CURIOUS!

Best,

-T

Come Sit at the Table

There is a house on a road near where I live that has had, since the pandemic started, signs on its mailbox post with inspirational messages.  I have been so thankful for these signs that I sent a card to the elderly couple that live there, thanking them for being a bright spot whenever I have to out into the world to accomplish some task or another.  I don't know them, but since I could see their address, I figured a card would get to them.  I can't help but want to be appreciative for their delivery of positivity into a world that often seems devoid of it.  The message today is this:

Be curious and wonder.

That is such a perfect message for a blog to the Honors community.  Honors, at its core, is about curiosity.  It's about preserving the wonder that we too often lose as we age and grow more and more aware of the pain and darkness around us.  Rather than pull inward, we have to celebrate the wonders that the world has to offer us.  We have to stop and see the small, beautiful moments that are around us every day.  From birds in the trees to someone holding the door open for someone else.  When our mouths are covered, we have to look into the eyes of others and when we smile, we have to smile with our whole face, so that those smiles can be seen.  We have to take the time to explore perspectives and lives that are different than our own.  And that, my friends, leads me to the topic of our talk this week.  On Wednesday, from 5:00 - 6:00, I hope you will join us for a talk called "All are Welcome At My Table: Inclusive Heathenry."  I asked Burdock, our guest speaker, to share with me what they felt was the 'elevator pitch' for their topic, since it is one I know so very little about myself.  This is what they said...

"The media is heavy with imagery of blond-haired, blue-eyed Vikings. There is an insidious assumption one has to look like that sort of Viking if you want to walk the path of Norse spirituality. Norse symbology has been commandeered by the alt-right movement and there are related factions within the broader Nordic belief system that are dangerously exclusive and focus on bloodline and privilege. Inclusive heathenry is the shield wall raised against those factions, and that wall protects the more vulnerable members of our community. Because all are welcome in the inclusive heathen community. Learn more about the Norse path, why I use the term ‘heathenry’ instead of ‘asatru’, why I am protective of the Othala rune, and why Declaration 127 is so important."

Some of this I understand, much of it I do not.  But I have wondered about it.  I am curious.  I've been watching my husband play Assassin's Creed: Valhalla.  I saw him play God of War.  I read Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman.  I have laughed at Loki's antics in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  I have asked Burdock to pull runes for me when they offer.  But, these have only made me more curious.  And now, I will have the chance to hear more about this.  Maybe you want to hear more, too.  Come, join us at Burdock's table.

Be curious and wonder.

April Flowers, Mother Earth

This is Earth Week, did you know?

A time to celebrate the planet on which we live, even as it wakes up from the long sleep.  There is so much more green these days, have you noticed?  More sunlight and an energy in the air that has long been lacking.  There really is no better time to talk about how we can individually make a difference in the fate of our planet.  So, I have asked a friend and colleague to come and talk with us.  When I asked him to write a blurb about the talk, this is what he said...

Join us this Wednesday when John Bateman (Conservation) talks about the history of Earth Day, the current state of our environment, and what individuals can do to lessen their environmental impact.  John will cover the specific events leading up to the environmental movement, including extinction and pollution, as well as how they helped the environmental movement gain inertia.  He will also cover contemporary issues, like climate change and single-use plastics, and how we, as individuals, can make changes that will benefit our planet without sacrificing our lifestyle. ​

I don't know about you, but this sounds like something I can really find some lasting value in.  I can walk away from this talk with some definitive changes I can make to how I function in the world that may contribute to leaving a lasting legacy for the children of humanity.  I hope you will join me.  An hour of time for a lifetime of choices about how to leave less harmful footprints around us.

And so, I'll leave you with a choice about whether or not to join us.  And with two quotes between which I could NOT choose.  Have a lovely day!

“The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for.”
—Ernest Hemingway

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.”
—Jane Goodall

The Winds of Change

Today is Monday, 29 March 2021.  The sun is shining and it is officially spring.

The seasons are changing.  We still have cold days, but the sun seems more consistent, there are so many more birds in the skies and in the trees, and I have even seen flowers popping their little heads up - yellow and purple and green against the brown grass that hasn't quite begun to brighten just yet.  

We were supposed to have a talk tomorrow wherein our guest, Blinne (class of 2019) chatted with us about some of the work she has done since graduation - writing and publishing campaign modules for Dungeons and Dragons.  However, life has a way of happening while we are making plans, yes?

So, that talk is being moved.

We were supposed to have a talk next week by another alum of FLCC who was going to talk about how they have accomplished some pretty nifty things since she graduated as well, despite having some pretty anxieties and fears.  However, life has a way of happening while we are making plans, yes?

So, that talk has been cancelled.

But, if we have learned nothing in the last year, we have learned that we need to roll with the changes.  And so, that is what we shall do.

Change can be upsetting and bothersome in many circumstances, but I don't think this needs to be one of those times.   We still have an amazing speaker coming to visit with us.  And we have room later in the semester if someone would like to give a talk - on accomplishing things in the face of fear, or something else altogether.  

So, I hope you will join us next Wednesday for our talk about passion and publishing and persistence.  We will roll with the changes just as we have learned to do about things that are so much harder and more difficult.

My wish for you on this Monday morning is that all the changes in your life be ones that are so easily remedied and may you have many things in your life to look forward to.  May the change in the seasons bring you happiness and joy in these days to come.  May you hear the birds and see the flowers and bask in the sunshine of warmer days.

Spring, Rest, and Self-Care

Spring is most decidedly coming.  We can feel the energy in the sunlight and while there may still be cold days ahead, we know.  Somewhere deep inside we know that Spring is right around the corner.  Maybe it's the flurry of birds.  The longer days.  Something in the air.  A hint of buds on the trees.  Whatever it is, I'm sure you are welcoming it just as I am.  We need the extra energy that spring seems to bring every living creature.

Because we are tired.  Tired and even as we are stuck at home most of the time and not doing as much out there in the world, we are busy.  It feels like there is always something we have to do - whether it's school or family or household or job or anything else under the sun, we have so much to do.

So, let's take an hour to gather together and learn what we can do about that.  Just because we are busy and tired doesn't mean we can't take a moment to relax.  In fact, it's all the more reason to do just that!  There are lots of things we can do that don't necessarily need to take a lot of time, but can do a world of good for our state of mind.  The library has gathered a whole slew of De-Stressing Activities and Ideas into one place, for instance.

And next week is our first talk in the Honors Talk Series.  Sean Maley, Associate Professor of Mathematics, is also trained in Mindfulness and he is going to show us some techniques that we can use to slow down just a little bit now and then in our busy lives.  His talk, "Mindfulness for Busy People" will be held March 23, 2021 at 5:00 via WebEx.  Meeting information has been mailed out, and the link to it is right here.  The password, if you need it, is breathe.

Take some time out for yourself, because if you aren't taking care of you, then you can't take care of all the things you are responsible for.

"Come, Rest Awhile" by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Come, rest awhile, and let us idly stray
In glimmering valleys, cool and far away.

Come from the greedy mart, the troubled street,
And listen to the music, faint and sweet,

That echoes ever to a listening ear,
Unheard by those who will not pause to hear­

The wayward chimes of memory’s pensive bells,
Wind-blown o’er misty hills and curtained dells.

One step aside and dewy buds unclose
The sweetness of the violet and the rose;

Song and romance still linger in the green,
Emblossomed ways by you so seldom seen,

And near at hand, would you but see them, lie
All lovely things beloved in days gone by.

You have forgotten what it is to smile
In your too busy life­come, rest awhile.

Looking Ahead...

 Hello, Honors Friends!

Well, we are now at the end of week three of the semester and we've already had two snow days.  Texas is cold, we are covered in snow, Asian-Americans are worried about their safety, and the pandemic rages on.  But the world keeps turning in spite of all of these things.

I've seen the sun recently, and it was amazing.  I have talkative students in my classes and I'm rather caught up on my work.  Our near feral cat let me scritch her jaw just a little bit today.  My husband is vaccinated.  There are things to celebrate and take joy in.  I hope that you, too, have reasons to smile.

I have something to celebrate as we look ahead to the rest of the semester.  We are continuing our Honors Talk Series this semester and this is what we have on the docket so far:

March 23 (5:00 - 6:00) - Sean Maley will talk about meditation and finding some peace in his talk "Mindfulness for Busy People"

March 26 - (2:00) - Not part of the Honors Talk Series, per se, but another event at which you can earn an Honors point.  More importantly, you will be able to virtually listen to and talk with Anna Garner, visiting artist.

March 30 (5:00 - 6:00) - Blinne Krieger ('19) will talk about the world of Freelance Story Crafting and engaging in your writing passion from the first word straight through to getting published

April 5 (5:00 - 6:00) - Loren Manchester ('19) will talk about Facing One's Fears and how to accomplish interesting things in spite of - or perhaps because of - those fears.

April 13 - Not part of the Honors Talk Series, per se, but another event that you can use to gain Honors points and, more importantly, a broader perspective about the world around us.  From 12:00 - 4:00, the library and Honors Studies will be hosting a virtual Human Library.  Unjudge someone.

April 13 (2:00) - Not part of the Honors Talk Series, per se, but another event at which you can earn an Honors point.  More importantly, you will be able to virtually listen to and talk with Brittney Leanne Williams, visiting artist.

April 21 (5:00 - 6:00) - John Bateman, Instructor of Environmental Conservation, will talk about Earth Day and about changes you can make in your life to make a difference in his talk "Earth Day:  Looking Back, Looking Forward."

April 28 (5:00 - 6:00) - Burdock (April) Broughton, Access Services and Resource Sharing Librarian as well as the Honors Librarian, will talk about their belief system in their talk "All Are Welcome at My Table:  Inclusive Heathenry"

May 4 (5:00 - 6:00) - Bucket Abdallah ('21) - Bucket will talk about what it means to be Non-Binary and how it can impact family and friend relationships.

TBD - "So, You Want to Make Games" - In this talk, Ro Williams, narrative writer for Riot Games, will meet with folks interested in the gaming industry and how one might find their way into that world.  They will talk about their experiences, how they got started, along with answering questions about their field.

As you can see, we've packed a lot into the semester and we hope to see you at one or more of these talks.  Come if you want points, come if you just want to share in the experience.  You can earn up to 4 points of Honors through this talk series.