I’m fascinated by popular phrases, especially ones that reveal interesting qualities about humanity. In this case, the phrase “I’m not crying, you’re crying!” Is posted on videos that are heartwarming and touching, as a way for the person to get off the hook for feeling anything. The phrase detracts and devalues from the content that is truly heartwarming. It also devalues wonder, sadness, or whatever emotion caused the tears in the first place.

I feel like a capped fountain if I’m not writing daily. Another reason I write is because it’s a great way to ponder the mysteries of life. Writing and publishing can cause all sorts of healing. It’s thrilling when someone is affected by what you write, even if it’s just one person. But I mean this specifically with writing long form articles/posts on a blog (not a social media site). On a social media site like Facebook, everyone is watching and so it makes sense to write knowing that hundreds of people might immediately be exposed to your work.

+++ title = “08” date = 2019 +++ A common message that we heard from our parents and teachers growing up is never give up. But in the movie Moana, this conventional wisdom is reversed in a subtle moment toward the end of the film. There’s a scene in Moana where she feels like giving up and she confronts the spirit of her grandmother to seek advice. Normally in these situations, especially in kids movies, the wise old sage will tell the warrior not to give up.

When I really discovered Reddit a few years ago, I quickly learned how it provides value. This was a service that segmented by interest, and I could find communities around almost anything that fascinated me. Here, in this corner of the internet, were crazy people like myself, obsessed over plant based diets, fitness regimens, meditation, and to-do list managers. We could all sit together in a hot tub of our fandom, discussing every single last niche of our chosen universe.

The Choose Your Own Adventure series isn’t as popular these days as it was when I was a kid. The library used to be flooded with these books. You could make choices about the plot and read the book non-linearly to have an adventure. The stories were captivating too. As a teacher, I made sure that these books had a place in my classroom. Though I advertised them as “ video games in the form of books,” these books taught a secondary and profound lesson.