Category: Uncategorized
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Life lessons from a three-month-old: time to refocus
When our kid was just a few months old, everything was new and overwhelming. He couldn’t handle much stimulation or input for very long. He’d begin to get disorganized – flailing about and fussing. He couldn’t focus and his emotional state quickly went downhill. It doesn’t change much when we get older. Sure, we hide…
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My Kindle/eBook wish list
I’ve been using a Kindle since the second version came out about a year and a half ago. I also work on an iPad and use the Kindle app there. When eBooks first came out, I was hesitant. I like having the physical copy. Over time I’ve come around. I love having any book I…
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First things first. One thing at a time. Start now.
With the holidays just around the corner, my to do list (and, probably yours!) just keeps growing. It’s easy to get stressed and overwhelmed. But that mental energy spent worrying about what needs to get done doesn’t really get anything done. So instead, I’m trying to live out the advice above. First things first –…
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You don’t know (and that’s ok)
It’s hard to understand something until you’ve been there. Doing this job with a kid, it suddenly clicked. I’ve always wondered why those parents out there seemed a little (a lot) frazzled at times. But now, I understand. I get how much those parents are juggling. People who haven’t been there don’t. I didn’t. I…
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Good enough stuff
People talk about how Americans consume for meaning. We create who we are by the clothes we wear, the decorations in our homes, and the cars we drive. We shop for entertainment. We get more stuff to fill our time. One way to attempt to avoid the consumption trap is to focus on good enough.…
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What’s next vs. what’s now
At this time of the year we are already talking about next year’s RAs and potential changes in the RD staff. It’s easy to get caught up in thinking about what’s next. I’m guilty of it. I like thinking about the future and doing a little stratgizing. It’s what I do. But when we do…
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Creating connections – proximity vs. affinity
Take a second and think of your three closest friends. How did you meet them? How did your relationship grow? In the Residence Life world, we focus a lot on relationships and connections. It’s all about helping people feel welcome and helping them become part of a community. Most of the time, we’re focused on…
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The more time you have …
Love this quote from 37signals: But you don’t have to work superhuman hours. A normal workweek should be plenty. Even less is ok. In fact, being short on time is a good thing. It forces you to focus on the essentials. There’s no time for things that don’t matter. There’s only time for the basics.…
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Life changes and peripeteia
There’s a TED talk by Mike Rowe, host of the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs, where – in the midst of talking about castrating sheep – he mentions two words he learned from his classics teacher in college: anagnorisis and peripeteia. Anagnorisis refers to that moment when a character makes an important discovery. Peripeteia is related – it’s…
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Put the trash in the leader’s van
On the way back from a recent staff retreat, I was driver of van #2. The bosses were in van 1 with half our group, and I was following with the rest. But on the way to the retreat, my van had the luggage and their van had the food. But on the way back,…
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A little Palin/Fey for Election Day
It’s a long-gone auction on Ebay, but I love that this actually exists – a copy of Palin’s book signed by Tina Fey… (via)
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Lead? How about do? [quote]
“I think “lead” is something you can choose to do when circumstances call for it. But it’s not a job title or a status. I think we should simply be doers. React the right way. Live courageously. Pursue great visions. Act with integrity. Serve others. Bring ideas to life. And let our status speak for…
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Want to find out what’s really important? Stop working for two weeks.
Mark Batterson says a Change of Place + Change of Pace = Change of Perspective. I start back to work tomorrow after two weeks off to help take care of our brand new baby. One thing that was interesting about handing off all my “residence director” work three days into the semester and coming back…
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Biff answers a couple of questions
So I haven’t seen Back to the Future in years. But this makes me like Biff a little more …
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Leaders always set the tone
In the context of churches/church planting, people always talk about how the church will mirror the pastor. The interests of the pastor become the interests of the church. The weaknesses of the pastor often become the weaknesses of the church. A pastor who cares deeply about missions? The church will be extremely missional. Deep teaching?…
Jon Sampson 