Throughout elementary school in the small town where I grew up, I was in Brownies and Girl Guides. Every November, we sold poppies to support the local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. Selling poppies meant going door to door in northern Alberta, freezing our butts off. This was still when dresses were a mandatory …
I got a puppy this past spring. When I wrote tips #14, 19, and 24 of “how to do a pandemic” post earlier this year, I didn’t think I’d actually get a dog. But after thinking about it off and on for years, I decided this was the best time to go for it. And, …
When we told our grandpa we planned to get married one day, we weren’t much older than in the above photo. Grandpa responded that cousins aren’t allowed to get married, and I remember feeling perplexed. Why wouldn’t I be allowed to marry this boy, when playing together was one of the best parts of my …
I’ve lately had flashes of thinking, “I could write about that.” I take that as a good sign, because since my last, half-joking post about how to do a pandemic I’ve mostly found myself with no desire to write at all. No desire to do much of anything, actually. There are several reasons for that, …
I don’t know how future historians will decide which parts of the internet to review while trying to analyze 2020…I’m sure my blog won’t rank highly. And yet I feel compelled to share some of what happens when a pandemic arrives in one’s city. My last post was about self-care, which has admittedly been quite …
A man named Scott introduced me to the phrase “take good care” near the beginning of my (first) career. Since then, I’ve heard the same expression from others who have all been as warm and kind as Scott. I love this phrase. It’s like a request, obligation, and blessing all rolled into one. It suggests …
I’ve been thinking a lot about the word “but”. Sure, now you’re thinking, “Oh, here she goes…this is one of those ‘Kelli’s in her head again’ blogs.” Really? If you read this thing, you know that’s pretty much all it ever is. Seriously though. As I recently said to someone, the three little letters in “but” can …
I recently visited Washington, D.C. for the first time. After arriving, I walked a few blocks to the National Mall, and thought a little about the impeachment trial occurring nearby. But mostly, I thought about free speech. A large part of the Mall was blocked that day, with several streets and walkways closed. Bus after …
Have you ever heard a quote and not been able to let it go? I was recently at a workshop with someone I haven’t seen in years. During dinner, I remembered how much I love listening to all the things she thinks about. At one point, she said something to the effect of, “You have …
One of the best things about my job is the people I get to meet and the various ideas they bring into my life. Earlier this year, for example, I was exposed to the poet Mary Oliver during meetings at the Banff Centre. More recently, while I was Christmas shopping, I saw that Oliver had …
