Grateful to Kanya D'Almeida for CORC Blog Post

Kanya D'Almeida 06F, recent grad of Hampshire College, wrote a lovely piece about me which was just posted on the Career Options Resource Center's blog as part of their running series highlighting different staff members on campus. I think the series is a fabulous idea and just one of many ways that our campus does empower staff, though there is much yet to be done! :)

And the piece that Kanya wrote is VERY flattering. *blush* I appreciate her kind words and I welcome any and all comments. This blog, which was linked to the post isn't really that active as you can see but perhaps I will get back into it. We shall see. In the meantime you are more likely to find me:

On Facebook - my profile is not completely open to the public so email me if you can't find me and want me to friend you.

On Twitter - @mindfulbeauty

Mindful Beauty blog

And if you are writing science fiction: Futurological Press!

Writing Blog: Chloe Yelena Miller

Just discovered a writing blog from Smith alum/author, Chloe Yelena Miller. Check it out - she has a lot of useful resources and also offers writing classes. Apparently she also has a food blog.

She has writing prompts, info about workshops and conferences of interest (there is a Philly focus I think, because that is where she is located), and poetry writing-related posts. I am looking forward to wandering through her archives... :)

Also - if you see this in the next hour and a half, she has a little contest going for an anthology, Prompted, which sounds intriguing. Full disclosure: this contest was the inspiration for me posting her blog to my twitter account but I am posting it here as well simply because I do think writing blogs are worth promoting! :)

Book: Math, Writing and Games

I discovered this wonderful little gem of a book called Math, Writing and Games in the Open Classroom by Herbert Kohl (1974). Kohl has such a frank way of describing his time in Harlem - I was drawn in by his sharing of his journey from the disastrous by-the-book teaching at the beginning to the brainstorm of asking the kids to write about themselves and their experiences. The way in which he is able to tease out what he was feeling and expecting from what actually happened makes his account so much more compelling in its honesty.

Kohl's book is clearly a deeply introspective prescription for what makes good teachers wherein he outlines a sort of hippocratic oath of teachers. Teaching 'by the book' was harming his ability to connect with the kids, and was essentially not only wasting everyone's time but was fundamentally damaging to the kids' sense of self. This isn't the sort of thing that is obvious, then or now, under the rubric of a standardized educational system and an intensely hierarchical structure of 'learning'.

I may report more of my thoughts as I keep reading - I've only just started the book!

Permaculture Class

Taking a permaculture class at Hampshire College from 3 alums who I have known for a few years. If I didn't already care so much about them before now, seeing how much passion, knowledge and love they bring to this course would certainly have made sure of that.

And the other class members have been a joy to get to know in each of their unique ways. The class is structured in such a way that we cannot help but get to know each other little by little and without feeling the need to bring judgement or hesitation to the group. Of course, a class like this does tend to self-select for those of us who are already comfortable with sharing and being open, but that doesn't mean there isn't always room for dissolving mainstream barriers and worldviews (if we so choose).

New York Times & Fur Ads

Most disturbing looking through the NYTimes today as the front section was chock full of ads from the big department stores for fur coats. Has it been all season? I haven't been reading the Times since the fall semester (and the student-funded free papers) ended.

And we're talking full color large (one was full page) ads with (female) models wearing said coats. And we're also talking "natural" furs not synthetic with descriptions that ought to be from a wildlife article... all except for the occasional adjective like "sheared". Very sad. I really thought that the purchasing of fur coats, fur-et cetera had become passé, maybe not for animal-loving reasons per se but nonetheless, the effect on the # of animals killed for the sake of "fashion" could be the same regardless of the underlying motivation.

Having said that, these ads are for big sales so there's always a chance that they simply aren't selling well. And ads alone are not a reliable indicator of demand. They are, however, (especially given the quantity of them) a decent indicator that it is still acceptable and non-offensive to buy & sell furs. Sigh.

My Book: Mindful Beauty Is In Your Hands

Announcing Publication Of

Mindful Beauty Is In Your Hands:
Natural Skin Care Tips and Recipes

by Chelvanaya Bayo Gabriel

http://www.amazon.com/Mindful-Beauty-Your-Hands-Natural/dp/1935323008/

TELL YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY!
Hint: The recipes and/or the book will make the perfect holiday gift(s)! Thanks for helping me spread the word. <3>

Product Description (from Amazon.com)
Making your own body care products is so fulfilling - you save money, avoid toxic ingredients and actively engage in taking care of yourself. Mindful Beauty Is In Your Hands will empower you and your friends to take charge of your skin care and your life with useful tips that embrace a holistic approach. The beauty recipes included in this book are fast and simple to make. The basic ingredients can easily be found in your kitchen or at your local grocery store. Drawing on her extensive experience in the field of chemistry, Chelvanaya Gabriel explains what the ingredients in each sumptuous recipe can do for your body and why. She encourages readers to learn more on their own and experiment - describing the process of being attentive to the health and well being of one's own body as "mindful beauty", a process that we can all practice in our everyday lives and share with our friends and family.

I Am A Published Author!

Ok so this took me awhile to post here but I'm not much of a blogger these days... and between being bashful and wanting to go back to writing my novel, I'm not much of a marketer of my newly published book about natural skincare. :) But, indeed I am now a published author and the fact seems to have energized me to keep going with The Novel - a scifi group adventure through the subconscious and conscious mind, dealing with fear, responsibility and "baggage". As a friend said yesterday, "so it's about my life then?" LOL Yes. Exactly. Stay tuned.

More about the publication in the next post.