Podcasts about Destination Imagination

The homeschooling community on social media is filled with families sharing their homeschooling journeys with the world and breaking down the stigmas and stereotypes surrounding homeschooling as they go! One such incredible family is the Youngs ( @homeschoolingthemiddle )! Join me today as I talk with Mrs. Tasha Young and her sons Reichen and Latham. They share their homeschooling journey, their love for acting, their participation in Destination Imagination, and their heart behind their Instagram page and the community they are building through social media. If you are interested in pursuing theater as a homeschooler or just interested in cultivating a thriving homeschooling environment, this episode has something for you! Connect with the Youngs through Instagram  Find out more about Destination Imagination here  Follow How to Homeschool in High School on Instagram and Facebook Email questions to hshighschoolpodcast@gmail.com Music by FASSounds from Pixabay

In the second hour, Brad Ferland is joined in-studio by Director of Vermont Destination Imagination Jane Youngbaer. Then, Brad talks with Veteran and former Vermont State Representative Carl Rosenquist.  

On today's midweek show, Crystal welcomes Senator Manka Dhingra, Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, to preview the tough issues her committee will take on in the upcoming legislative session. Senator Dhingra walks through her data-driven and community-informed approach to legislating and how this lens guides her thinking on revisiting the Blake decision fix, a temporary solution put in place by the Legislature in 2021 when the Washington Supreme Court struck down the state's drug possession law as unconstitutional. Despite widespread recognition of the need for a public health approach to substance use disorder, Crystal and Senator Dhingra lament the unfortunate political truth that the public is often ahead of elected officials and that the Blake fix will likely not be based on best practices.  The two then discuss the pushback from some in law enforcement interests in response to bills that restricted their use of high-speed vehicle pursuits and sought to hold officers liable for taking wrong actions. Senator Dhingra stands by these policies that solve the issues of unnecessary bystander deaths and community demands for reduction in police violence. Finally, the show wraps up with what a trauma-informed criminal justice system could look like, where implementation of the 988 crisis system is, and Senator Dhingra's delightful tradition of introducing legislation from teenagers in her district. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Twitter at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find Senator Manka Dhingra at @Dhingrama.   Senator Manka Dhingra Manka Dhingra is Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate. She brings two decades of experience as a prosecutor to her role as Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee. She also serves on the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee and Senate Ways & Means Committee.  In November 2017, Dhingra was elected to the Senate by the constituents of the 45th Legislative District, the first Sikh legislator in the nation. Since then, she has sponsored and passed legislation addressing a wide range of issue areas, including: curbing domestic violence and sexual assault, preventing firearm violence, providing property tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities, prosecuting financial fraud, and reforming the criminal justice system with an evidence-based approach.  During her time in the Senate, Dhingra has helped pass legislation and funding to transform the Washington State behavioral health system, reorienting it around prevention rather than crisis response. She continues to strive to ensure that Washingtonians with behavioral health needs get the treatment they need and deserve. As a member of the Special Committee on Economic Recovery, she is helping the state craft an economic plan to lead an equitable recovery from the COVID economic downturn. She also serves on several task forces dedicated to reducing poverty, reforming the criminal justice system, improving equity in state government, and providing a sound and fair fiscal footing for the state.  Dhingra continues to serve as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. As Chair of the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, Manka helped develop and oversee the Regional Mental Health Court, the Veterans Court, and the Community Assessment and Referral for Diversion program. As a mental health and crisis intervention expert, she has also been an instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers to reduce the risk of tragedy and improve the response to people in crisis.  Outside the courtroom, Dhingra is a community leader and anti-domestic violence advocate on the Eastside. She co-founded Chaya, an organization that assists South Asian survivors of domestic violence and led the organization's work to end systemic violence through education and prevention. She also serves on the board of Hopelink.   Resources Senator Manka Dhingra | Washington Senate Democrats   “With Dhingra's Win, Democrats Take Control of the State Senate” by Hayat Norimine from SeattleMet   Q & A: The Blake Decision | ACLU of Washington   “In Last-Minute Move, Legislature Adopts New Approach to Drug Possession” by Paul Kiefer from PubliCola   “WA lawmakers try to thread needle on drug possession, to mixed reviews” by David Kroman from Crosscut   “Washington Voters Want to Decriminalize Drug Possession and Fund Substance Abuse Resources” by Anika Dandekar with Data For Progress   State v. Blake: ESB 5476 and behavioral health expansion | Washington Health Care Authority   “Not all crimes merit high-speed chases that risk bystanders' lives” by Manka Dhingra in The Seattle Times   “Pursuits and Fatalities in WA since 2015” by Martina Morris from Next Steps Washington and Washington Coalition for Police Accountability   2021-2022 Washington State Legislature Policing Bills Explainer | People Power Washington   “State leaders prepare for implementation of the 988 call line” by Shane Ersland from State of Reform   “Meet the students who fought for free menstrual products at Washington schools — and won” by Sara Gentzler from The Olympian   Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington State through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. So today I'm absolutely thrilled to have joining us the Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate, Manka Dhingra. Welcome. [00:00:47] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you so much. It is such a pleasure to be here with you. [00:00:50] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely a pleasure to have you - have followed your work and admired your work for quite some time. So you are also the Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, you've done a lot of work. I just wanted to start off with - what was your path to the State Senate and what have you been working on? [00:01:11] Senator Manka Dhingra: So I'll just say my path to the State Senate has been extremely unusual. I don't know anyone else who came into politics the way I did. I, as a young person, knew very early that I wanted to go to law school and that I wanted to be a prosecutor. I got involved in gender-based violence early on because my grandmother used to help survivors of domestic violence back in India. And so I went to law school, became a prosecutor with King County. I actually created and ran the first ever Therapeutic Alternative Unit where we really took a look at alternatives to incarceration, crisis intervention. I helped train law enforcement in the 40-hour crisis intervention training at the Criminal Justice Training Center. And I considered myself a good Democrat because I voted. And then we had our 2016 national election. And for the first time in my life, I was actually having an Election Night party at my house because I really wanted my children to see the face of the first U.S. woman president. Clearly the night did not go as I had planned. And so I went to my first Democratic Party meeting that December. And when I went there, I can tell you that the room was full - packed - with women. When I looked around that room, I recognized so many of the PTSA moms. And most of us were there, again, for the very first time because we felt we had to do something. And I didn't know what that something would look like. And a very good friend of mine who was on city council saw me there and she said, We have to have coffee. And so we sat down for coffee and her first question was, Do you want to run for office? And my response was, I don't think I'm qualified. And she literally fell off her chair laughing. And later I realized what a cliché my response was because apparently that's what all of us women say - we think we're not qualified. So she kind of worked on me and we had a Senate seat that was available. And February 14th, I announced I was running for the Senate. So my entire political engagement from the time from my first meeting to me announcing for Senate was two months. [00:03:25] Crystal Fincher: Wow. Well, and then you ran in a district where your victory was certainly not guaranteed - very competitive race - where you were successful and victorious and a first yourself, the first Sikh member of our state Senate. How did you use all of your lived experience in the Senate and how was your first term? [00:03:56] Senator Manka Dhingra: So the election was exciting because my seat actually flipped our State Senate. So our Senate was controlled by the Republicans and when I won, Democrats got in control. So the first session was actually pure chaos because we'd had gridlock in Olympia for so many years because we really couldn't pass meaningful bills. We had a session that would go into special session year after year because budgets couldn't be agreed upon. The year I was running, there were three special sessions and they still did not have all their budgets passed. And so when I won, normally people have orientation or some kind of onboarding. But when I won - because of the change - we had new Chairs, all this legislation that had been blocked for so many years like the flood gates had opened. So it was a very exciting time because I think we just passed such amazing progressive legislation and really were this beacon of light for the entire country on what a progressive legislation could look like or what a progressive state can look like. But I got to tell you, I was kind of lost in the mix there. But luckily I was able to hold my own and was very proud of the nine bills I passed my first session. [00:05:16] Crystal Fincher: And what were some of those bills? [00:05:17] Senator Manka Dhingra: So a lot of those bills were things that had really irked me for a very long time as an attorney and as a prosecutor. So there were a lot of bills around helping survivors of domestic violence, there were bills around sexual assault, around trafficking, and I had a Medicaid fraud unit bill, work around behavior health because I have been very concerned about mental illness and substance use disorder in our state. And normally when you're a first-time legislator, they do this thing on the Senate floor where your first bill - people actually kind of tease you a little about it or kind of give you a hard time. And when they looked at all my bills, they were all of such serious matters that they couldn't figure out which one should be my first bill. And so actually the Medicaid fraud unit was my first bill because that was the least serious about my other bills. But this was legislation that I knew that had to be fixed and we needed to do it. And frankly, I think the reason why I was so successful is because most of my bill ideas come from people who do the work and are able to really articulate what the problems are and then have the solutions because they're the experts in that field. And so I have maintained that manner of doing my work - is really making sure I hear from the people on the ground doing the work. [00:06:42] Crystal Fincher: And you have built that reputation of being very in touch with the community, of reaching out to stakeholders for your various bills, making sure that you speak with, inform, get feedback from people who are involved with and impacted by legislation you're proposing and the issues you're trying to address. One such issue was spurred by the Blake decision - that the Supreme Court found in our state - that essentially decriminalized personal use possession. And because of some challenges that that presented, like a potential patchwork of different laws passed by different cities all throughout the state, the Legislature decided to take action to try and pass one uniform policy all across the state. What was your approach to that and where did that end up? [00:07:30] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you. That is really the issue and the question that has been - people have been interested in for the last two years. Any time legislation is required, my question always is why? And what you gave in your question was really one of the reasons why we knew that legislation - is because we wanted a uniform way of making sure enforcement is the same for people, that they're not treated differently because they're using at a different intersection down the street. So that's why we wanted to make sure we had state legislation. This decision came out in the middle of session, so the timing was not optimal. And then it was very important to me to have a solution that is based on best practices and that is practical. So the original bill that I had was actually based on what the policy of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office was, along with a lot of the other prosecuting attorney's offices around the state. Because what we found at that time is - a lot of people doing this work had realized - that dealing with substance use disorder, it's not a criminal justice issue, it's a public health issue. And treating it like a criminal justice issue is what has really led us to where we are today. But you have to make sure you're focused on getting people into the treatment that they need. And so I was really trying to come up with a solution that said you have to have public health lead. And you also have to understand that while using the substance shouldn't be illegal, if there's criminal activity around that - like theft, criminal trespass, possession of weapons - that is still a criminal offense, but really being able to focus on treatment. So after a lot of negotiations, because I'll tell you, elected officials are very nervous of criminal justice issues. And I come from it differently because I practiced for 17 years. And we unfortunately did not get a bill that was based on best practices. We came close, but not quite. So what became the law of the land is that law enforcement was going to offer diversion the first two times that they came into contact with an individual. And then only after that would they refer that for a criminal case. And we took this opportunity to really provide a lot of resources for treatment - so we ensured that we had substance use disorder navigators who can help get people into treatment, we provided funding for treatment like Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, to wraparound teams like HOST - Homeless Outreach Stabilization Teams, PACT - these assertive community treatment models. So really making sure that those resources go hand-in-hand, because if people have no place to go and they don't have treatment, nothing's going to really work. I also wanted to make sure that because we were creating this in the middle of session, that we had an expiration date. So I insisted that this law expire in three years. And we created a committee or task force made up of a wide variety of individuals - people with lived experience, people in the treatment community, housing people, law enforcement, prosecutors, defense - everyone who deals with this issue to come together to come up with recommendations. So those recommendations have officially been made. And our law expires this 2023, so we as the Legislature have to actually pass another substance use disorder law to make sure that we're, again, pushing ourselves to doing things that are based on - with best practices. [00:11:16] Crystal Fincher: Now the bill did not end up - at that time what passed - was not what you were ultimately happy with and didn't earn your vote at that time. But you did say that - because of some of those things that were funded, you really wanted to focus on getting those implemented and working across the state, because it's important to - if someone is going to make a referral for treatment or for services, that those services be available. And we were in a situation where those were not available in sufficient quantities around the state and people may not have been able to get their needs met. Where do those stand today? How far have we made it in terms of implementation and availability of services? [00:12:02] Senator Manka Dhingra: So I'll just say - on paper - the funding, the availability of services looked amazing. And then COVID hit. And one of the biggest barriers became COVID, because we weren't really able to implement everything that we wanted to. We had inpatient treatment services that had to be dramatically reduced because of social distancing - they had to limit their bed capacity. And so it's very challenging to talk about how successful or not successful this program could have been because it was greatly hampered by COVID. And we know from years and years of data and just knowing how humans behave - that when there is a huge incident like COVID - people do tend to self-medicate because of anxiety and depression. And we saw that. We saw use of alcohol and drugs go up exponentially because people were dealing with trauma. And so the combination of factors made it a lot more challenging. And so the resources weren't able to be deployed as timely as we would have liked. Now we're in a position - with this summer, we were able to do statewide deployment of the substance use navigators, so now they're around. We have funded a lot more options for law enforcement assisted diversions. So we have this program set up, but unfortunately we also had a lot of inpatient treatments that actually closed - because of COVID and their not being sustainable. The other issue also became is - there are a lot of individuals who really feel that there has to be an option for court-directed treatment - the court has to force you to do treatment. And so one of the things we had talked about is - if you want the option of that, you still have that through Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Veterans Court - if people engage in other criminal activity in addition to substance use disorder. We also have a civil commitment statute - we have Involuntary Treatment Act - we have assisted treatment where if you really want it to be court-ordered, you can do it through the civil system. And so we were really hoping to ramp up our civil system to do that. And again, due to COVID and what happened with our judicial system, we weren't really able to get there. So I would say where we are now from when the bill was passed - not as far along as we would have liked. And we simply haven't had the time to give these programs the setup that they actually needed. So in an ideal situation, I would have liked to see one more year of us working under this bill to really see what's working and what's not, and then come up with a different solution. But unfortunately we don't have that time and COVID did make things more challenging in terms of implementation. [00:15:00] Crystal Fincher: So in terms of these programs and what was funded and addressing the capacity and now increased staffing issues with a lot of these services, is there going to be a push for increased funding? Does the existing funding already cover the implementation? What action needs to be taken from the legislature to ensure that in another year's time we are where we do want to be? [00:15:24] Senator Manka Dhingra: So absolutely the funding needs to continue and it will. The cities and the counties that do have the programs up and running - because it was a gradual start - have actually shown really positive results. We are seeing individuals getting the help they need. We have had law enforcement in those areas actually appreciate the resources that have been provided to the community to do this work. We also have to take a look at - how do we staff inpatient units? The way we pay them for per bed usage doesn't really work when you have pandemics because a third of the beds can't be used. So if you're only paying them for the beds, they can't do full staffing if they're not allowed to use a third of their beds. So we really have to rethink what that payment for treatment looks like. And there've been some really interesting ideas on integration, and paying for the whole person, and paying for programs rather than for each beds. And that's what COVID really taught us - being really creative on how we are supporting some of our community clinics, so I think you're going to see some really exciting stuff coming in on more integrated community-led efforts. Our federal government, in the last two years under President Biden, has really made a lot of federal dollars available for us to do this work. And Washington is really set up very well to take advantage of these federal dollars. I think it's still an exciting time and - it always gets darkest before the light, but I do think we are going to be turning the corner on the opioid epidemic. [00:17:06] Crystal Fincher: I hope so. And so now you're going to be taking up this legislation again - you're forced to - and many people were supportive of the sunset and revisiting of this legislation this session. It looks like there, once again, is a mixed variety of opinions on the right way forward this session. And it looks like there are a growing amount of people, supported by what looks like changing public sentiment, or absolutely a number of polls in support of a public health approach as opposed to a criminalized approach to substance use disorder and possession of personal amounts. Is there the opportunity this session to move towards a full public health approach and move away from criminalization of personal possession of substances? [00:17:59] Senator Manka Dhingra: I wish I could tell you there was. This is unfortunately the truth in politics that I've learned - is that normally the public is way ahead of elected officials. Over and over again, I've heard from the public that when they see their loved one, their neighbor, their friend, or even the stranger struggling with substance use disorder, they want treatment. The first response isn't to send someone to prison. And so the recommendation out of this committee - it's actually called SURSAC [Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee] - was for decriminalization of personal use. And so the bill that I will be sponsoring is based on the committee's recommendation, because I think it's really important to honor that work. That work and their conclusions are based on best practices, it's data driven through looking at what has worked around the world - not just in the United States - because we know this is a worldwide problem. We don't have the votes for that in the Senate or in the House. So I'll have my bill, which is based on best practices and data. We are going to have another bill by Senator Robinson, who is going to take a lot of the treatment recommendations coming out of that group, but it does make possession of personal use a gross misdemeanor. It encourages diversion, but that's where it's at. We're going to have other individuals who may want to make it back as a felony - I don't think there's appetite at all to have it be a felony because that has failed so miserably. And I know there's some interest in making it a misdemeanor. All of those have issues, right? No one is going to agree on one version of it, but I think the best decisions are always the decisions that are made when they're data-driven. I don't think our legislature is there. I don't think the Blake fix is going to be evidence-based or data-driven. It will criminalize personal drug use with a lot of options for diversion. And the hope really is that the prosecutors, the judges are in a position to make those referrals. The hope really is that community resources come in and are able to help people outside of the criminal justice system. I'm a little disappointed, but that's human nature. All you can do is continue to make the case on trying to do things that work. [00:20:40] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. [00:20:41] Senator Manka Dhingra: But people are driven by fear. [00:20:43] Crystal Fincher: Yeah. And appreciate your continued work to continue to make the case and for standing by that when it comes to voting. Is there the opportunity with this to implement another sunset - for as you said, as we get more infrastructure set up around the state, accounting for the COVID delays and challenges, that maybe we get to revisit this in another couple of years? [00:21:08] Senator Manka Dhingra: You know, I'm not sure about that - we'll have to see how it works. The reality is you can have whatever laws you want - it depends on what implementation looks like. So when the Blake decision came out, the current individuals who were charged with drug possession cases - all those cases had to be dismissed. And if they were in custody, they had to be released. Now, I was very curious to know how many of those individuals currently existed, because I had heard and know that most of these cases weren't being prosecuted - that they were actually being deferred. And that was actually true. People thought the Drug Courts would close - they didn't. There were very few Drug Courts that actually had individuals that were only there for drug possession cases, because the culture of enforcement has changed so much. Because the people that do that work know that having someone go through the court system or look at incarceration does not improve the substance use disorder. It actually makes it worse. And so practically, there were not people in Drug Court to any significant degree when this decision came out. And that's why I tried to tell people - that there was already that recognition in our criminal justice system that said, We're not prosecuting these individuals, they're being offered diversions at the time of booking. Or they end up pleading guilty to a reduced sentence and finish that time in jail and leave. So there is a disconnect between the laws on our book and what is being implemented. And I think all we can do is actually make that community treatment program really robust and provide those resources, and destigmatize substance use disorder so that people can actually feel comfortable going for treatment and acknowledging that they have a problem. [00:22:56] Crystal Fincher: That makes sense. Another issue that has been an issue that has been talked about throughout the community has been those surrounding police pursuits. High speed vehicle chases - I suppose some may not be at high speeds - but pursuing people who they suspect of fleeing because of some crime or being wanted for a reason. And lots of talk in the community and data and evidence about the injuries and deaths caused by police pursuits - and really weighing whether the risk of pursuit is worth it in cases where someone is not wanted for a violent crime and people's health and wellbeing seem to be in immediate jeopardy, as opposed to a property crime or something else like that. What is the work that you've done on that? And do you anticipate that being an issue? Where do you stand on that? [00:23:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: I go back to the way I deal with legislation - I start off with what is the problem you're trying to solve? So when it came to police pursuits, the question was - what is the problem we're trying to solve? And the problem we were trying to solve is data that came out that said 50% of the people that are killed during police chases are individuals that have nothing to do with the incident. These are innocent bystanders who get killed. And that number is at 50% in the state. That is an unacceptable number. So we took a look and said, OK, how can we reduce that number? And so the police pursuit bill that was passed by the Senate and the House and signed into law is one that's actually based in best practices. It was based on a policy that very closely mirrored what a lot of our cities were already doing. So we do have some cities that had very similar policies and others that frankly were not good partners in doing this work. And so we passed that. There were a few cities who didn't really have to change their policies because that is what their official policy was. And there were others that were forced to change their policy. And this is exactly what you mentioned, Crystal - it is about doing that analysis. We made sure that if it's a domestic violence case, you can pursue the vehicle. If it's a case involving violence, you can pursue the vehicle. If it's a DUI, you can pursue the vehicle. But when it comes to property, we said, No, you can't - because there are other ways to catch an individual in today's day and age. And guess what? We haven't had innocent people dying since this policy was enacted. So did we solve the problem of not having 50% of the fatalities be uninvolved? We absolutely did. We do not have innocent people dying in vehicle pursuits. And I've heard criticism that, Oh, people are just fleeing and not getting caught. And I've asked the question, Are they not getting caught in that instant? Are they getting arrested the next day or a few days later? Guess what? They're being arrested, they're just arrested a few days later. And now they're being charged with a felony - attempting to elude - because they fled. So I know that there are cities and law enforcement agencies that want us to go back on our vehicle pursuit bill. And I have asked them for data - because I do tend to be data-driven - and I've said, Show me how many people have not been caught because of this data. The only data they can show me is the number of pursuits is up. And I'm like, And what happens the day after? Because when they share the stories with me, they always end with, Oh, yes, and we caught the guy two days later or the next day. And so again, I think for those who want us to change our policy, I come back with what is the problem you're trying to solve and where is the data supporting that? And I have not seen the data that tells me that this is the wrong policy. [00:26:53] Crystal Fincher: Well, and I appreciate the approach you take in being very data-driven because really - there's a lot of conflicting information out there. There's a lot of people who sometimes are scared just by change. And so looking at what the situation actually is based on evidence makes a lot of sense. This was an issue with a number of bills around public safety in prior sessions where there - in 2020 - where a number of accountability bills passed. And then following that, some seeming cold feet amid pushback from some law enforcement officials and others saying, Well, you have prevented us from being able to do our jobs and you're putting public safety at risk by holding us more accountable. What was your take on that, and on some of the legislation that rolled back some of the accountability progress that was made? [00:27:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: When people started saying - Oh, the Legislature prevented us from doing our work, my question was - No, we made sure you can be held liable for taking wrong actions. If they choose not to act because they're afraid of liability, that is not the Legislature preventing them from doing their job. It's that they have to relearn how to do their job. Or go back to best practices that they were taught - but over time, those practices have kind of gone away because you just kind of start doing what everyone else does and not really focus on best practices. And the bottom line is this. We had to do all of that work because of George Floyd. And the years and years and years of Black people telling us that they're being killed at the hands of law enforcement and frankly, the world not listening - until we had COVID, was stuck in our house, didn't have any new Hollywood movies coming out or new TV shows coming out - and we had to watch the video that was captured. And finally acknowledge and say, Yes, what people have been saying is true and real. We, as elected officials, have to do something about it. So it comes down to, again, what is the problem that we were trying to solve? And the problem is that Black and Brown men and women are treated unfairly with law enforcement. And when you see that so blatantly and so starkly that you cannot make excuses for it anymore, like we have been for decades, you have to do something and you cannot do business as usual. There has to be accountability. And like you said, change is hard. People don't like making change. But unless they do it themselves, it is thrusted upon them and that is - the job of electeds and the Legislature is to make sure we are standing up for each and every human being. I represent cities like Duvall and Woodinville, Redmond, Kirkland - each and every one of these cities had a Black Lives Matter protest - down in Duvall, Woodinville, Redmond, Kirkland. I was there at all of them. This is something that our population demanded and the Legislature provided. And it's going to take a while for people to make the changes, but these are changes that are needed. We are an outlier in the United States when it comes to fatalities at the hand of law enforcement. No other country has that rate like the US does. And it's time we took it seriously and put in practices that are going to prevent it. [00:30:46] Crystal Fincher: Agreed. And as you talked about before, lots of times the public is more in tune with data and reality - because they're living it - than some of the elected officials. We just saw in these past elections in November where we had a county prosecutor race where people with two very different views were running. One focused on more punitive punishment measures, focused a lot on criminalization and focusing on that. Another one who's saying, Okay, we're not going to not follow the law, but we need to follow the evidence and start to pursue policies, or continue the path of pursuing policies like diversion that have been shown to be more successful in helping people get on a productive path to not commit any more crimes and to reduce the amount of people who are victimized. As you continue through this path of various legislation in this session, what is your message to people who do say that police accountability gets in the way of public safety? [00:31:54] Senator Manka Dhingra: And I just say that is absolutely not true. Holding someone responsible for bad actions has nothing to do with public safety. Public safety is about your perception of safety. You can talk about domestic violence and I can tell you, and I'm going to say mostly women - because we are talking mostly women who are victims or survivors - they have not felt safe in their house for decades. And people will not say that that is a public safety issue because they're thinking about what happens when they walk down the street, not what is happening in their own home. When we talk about sexual assault, it's a different concept of public safety. When we talk about trafficking, it's different. And so we have to - when we talk about public safety, it's not about property crimes. It's about individuals feeling safe - at home, in their school, or out in the street. And so we have to be focused on human safety and them feeling safe in whatever environment they're in. Right now when people talk about public safety, they're only talking about car thefts, and thefts from businesses, and graffiti, and seeing people using drugs on the street - that's not public safety. Those all tend to be public health issues and systems that aren't funded appropriately. And frankly, the systemic racism that has occurred in this country for generations that has allowed these wealth inequities. So we have to talk about public safety as the human feeling safe. And I can tell you - it is women, women of color who are most at risk of being victims of public safety, but we don't talk about that. I do. And that is how I frame these issues is - we have done a terrible job when it comes to investigating, reporting, prosecuting sexual assault. Same thing about domestic violence, same thing about trafficking. And when you take a look at the ills in our society, it comes down to gender-based violence. It comes down to our children being raised in households where they see domestic violence, the trauma that occurs through there. So public safety is a lot more complicated than seeing there's a rise in their concerns about public safety - because when you really take a look at the holistic concept of public safety, there isn't. And I'll just say for decades, crime in our country has been reducing. Then the last three years, because of the pandemic, you've seen a rise in violence and a rise in crimes, but overall, when you take a look at trend over decades, we are at a downward trend. It is still the best time to live in America right now than it ever has been. That is actually true. Technology is there to help us, we have more access to resources, there are more people being fed, and there are more people who are actually safe. So let's try to change that conversation on public safety because the sound bites are not based in reality. [00:34:55] Crystal Fincher: They really aren't. And it looks like by these - once again - most recent election results, the public recognizes that and wants to move towards more evidence-based solutions. I also want to talk about - you talk about who are most often victims of crime. And when we talk about victims, so often it's in the context of, Well, victims would want this person punished. And what are you going to say to the victims if this person doesn't spend a whole bunch of time in jail? But it seems like we engage less on - how do we actually best support victims? How do we do that? And how can we do better? [00:35:32] Senator Manka Dhingra: That is such a great question. Thank you so much for framing it the way you just did because that's absolutely true. People - because of TV shows - mostly have this image of this victim who's like this innocent, fragile, vulnerable person who has never done anything wrong in her life. That is not who the victim is. Victims are as complicated as any single human being. And many times when you take a look at a victim of crime, especially in our society, they're not strangers. You normally know the perpetrator of violence, and there's that connection. And so when you talk about what the victim wants, it isn't necessarily punishment or prison time for 20 years. It is much more nuanced and much more complicated. As I mentioned, I used to run the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, and we really used to make sure - we were the first in the country, actually, to not have any criminal history that's a bar to participate in this program. But I insisted that part of this program, we have a victim advocate. And that when there were crimes involving victims, that the victim's voice would be part of what the resolution is. And I cannot tell you - over and over again, when you provided victims the resources and the services and you explained the program, they wanted that defendant to go through that program. Because they want that person to get better, they want to make sure that what happened to them doesn't happen to anyone else. And when the victim feels supported and has resources on their own, they can actually deal with their own trauma and move on - because no one wants to hold on to that hurt and that anger. It is not good for anybody. But unless we as a society can provide those resources and that support, the victims aren't going to get better. And when they don't, you just have that cycle over and over again. And one of the bills that I'm really proud of - I passed a couple of years ago - and it was about making sure that if you are a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking, when you are on your path to recovery, you can get your criminal history, your convictions expunged. And the reason I really wanted that bill is because - trauma exerts itself as a reaction, not just as a memory. And so there are so many people in the criminal justice system who are survivors - they're survivors of violence. And they're engaging in the criminal justice system because of that trauma. And we don't have a criminal justice system that is trauma-informed. We're trying to get there. But being trauma-informed means you have to understand that anyone coming into that system may and most probably has suffered trauma. And unless you deal with that underlying trauma, you're going to continue on that cycle. So I think there's a lot more work we need to do in being trauma-informed throughout our criminal justice system. [00:38:31] Crystal Fincher: Well, I appreciate that and appreciate your work. And also, your work on the 988 system. Can you explain what that is and where that stands in terms of implementation? [00:38:43] Senator Manka Dhingra: Absolutely - you're asking about my favorite bills. I've been working with the mental health community for a very long time in my other job as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. And one of the things people have wanted for a very, very long time is a mental health crisis line. Because it's not illegal to be mentally ill, yet we call 911 and have law enforcement show up. And so 988 is a national number that went live in July. And we took this opportunity in the state of Washington to create an entire crisis system around 988. So right now, if anyone who needs help - if they're suicidal or in crisis, that's a mental health substance use disorder crisis - they can call 988. The 988 phone number is actually staffed by mental health professionals - individuals who are trained in how to deescalate and help with situations. And so we made sure that we provided funding for the people responding to the calls - that they had the credentials needed to do this work. We made sure that these hubs of 988 are actually going to - in the next few years, they are going to have a mobile response team that is made up of community mental health professionals along with peers. We are connecting 911 and 988 in the sense that there's cross-training - because a lot of the calls that come to 911 are actually mental health calls. So we want them to be able to transfer those calls through 988. And there may be times when a call comes into 988, but there's a weapon involved or a gun involved, and they need that help from 911. So we're working on cross-training and some kind of cross-mobilization. But what we have found is - from other states that have done some of this work - is that when you have a mental health professional answering these calls, 90% of the calls are able to be resolved. The 10% that need someone to show up for them - 7% can be handled with a mental health professional going out along with a peer, and only 3% need law enforcement. And so being a lot smarter about how we are responding to people in crisis - because they don't need to go to jail, most of them don't even need to go to an emergency room. We also took this opportunity to set up a structure where we can have more technology and data. We would love to do a bed tracking system, so someone who needs help - the 988 operator can take a look and know that there is a bed available for them, that they can connect them to treatment. Come January, our state mandates next-day appointments. So if you call the crisis line, your insurance or Medicaid - whatever it can be - is mandated that the next day you are going to go see somebody. And that's going to be a game changer because you're making sure people get the treatment they need when they need it. So I am super excited about this system. More work to be done on it, but we are well on our path to do it. We - normally, in the state of Washington, while we can be proud of so much, we are not the state that is in the top 10 for mental health services, but our 988 bill is the national model in the country. And I have to say, I was very proud - with Representative Orwall who sponsored the bill, and I - both of us got an award, actually a national award, recognizing us for our 988 bill. So very, very exciting time and so much more to come on this. [00:42:20] Crystal Fincher: Excellent. And what do you say to people who are concerned that - who are trying to avoid a situation that may be escalated, especially with some of the challenges that law enforcement have in responding to and deescalation, deescalating situations - whether it's people of color, or disabled people, or people in crisis - that calling 988 could result in a law enforcement response or an involuntary confinement for behavioral health treatment. [00:42:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: When I said the numbers on the percentage of calls and the manner in which they're dealt with, what you find is when you have the right resources right at the beginning, you don't need law enforcement, you don't need civil commitment because you are able to, again, use your motivational interviewing skills. You're able to offer people services and support. That next-day appointment is critical. Because if they're willing to go see someone - a doctor, a nurse, a mental health specialist, whoever that person may be - they don't need to be involuntary treatment, ITA'ed as they call it, because they're going in for treatment. So you have to make early intervention options available as much as possible. There are always those individuals who may need a high level of care, so you have to make sure that you are able to meet them wherever they are - but you got to make sure you're providing early intervention. I will have a bill next session that actually sets up these facilities called 23-hour facilities. And so the hope really is that those individuals who can't wait for the next-day appointment, that we are actually able to take them to these 23-hour facilities where the hope really is that they're there for 23 hours - because they can't stay there longer than that - and then you have to have a transition plan on how you're going to get them connected to other services and support. And that's what we have found is that - the right intervention at the right time - really, people want help, that's why they're calling. They're not calling because they actually want to kill themselves. It's because they're like, Help me, I'm afraid I'm going to do this. And so you have to provide the help that they're asking for. [00:44:31] Crystal Fincher: Much appreciated. I appreciate you taking the time to go through all of this with us today. As we close, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite things that you, or any legislator does - and that is working with youth. How do you do that? And what were you able to accomplish? [00:44:49] Senator Manka Dhingra: I love working with our youth. When I first ran for office five years ago - at that time, my kids were 13 and 15. And I used to coach Destination Imagination, and Math Team, and a lot of teams. And so I had to tell them that, Hey, I'm going to run for office, so I'm going to have to step aside from coaching these teams. And the teens were like, Can we help? And I'm like, Yes. So I had 250 teenagers helping me on my first and second campaign - no one had heard, seen so many teenagers working on a campaign. And so my promise to them was - I will continue engaging with them. So I sponsor bills that have been brought to me by teens every year for the last five years. And my favorite bill for next session is going to be one - is one - that's been brought to me by teens in my district. And that's around eliminating gender-based pricing. They literally went to Target and Costco and took pictures of a bike helmet that's pink in color and the exact same helmet - same company, same everything - that's blue in color. And the blue helmet is for $20 and the pink helmet is for $25. And they even did that with adult diapers. I didn't know this, but apparently women's adult diapers are much more expensive than men adult diapers - no clue why. So I'm going to have that bill next session - I'm super excited about it. But these teens are the ones that made sure we now have menstrual products in all our schools and college bathrooms. We no longer, in Washington, pay taxes on menstrual products. And it's not just this stuff they care about - they care about access to mental health treatment and services, and substance use disorder, and criminal justice reform. You name it, and these teens want to make positive changes. And I cannot tell you how excited I feel looking at the next generation. [00:46:44] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And this isn't even the first bill that they've brought to you. In fact, we have better access to menstrual products because of youth bringing up legislation, correct? [00:46:54] Senator Manka Dhingra: Absolutely. They really want to make sure that they can change the world. And that bill came about because of a conversation I was having with some of the teens. And the teens in the Redmond High School said they have menstrual products in their school. And I knew that teens in Kent and Moses Lake did not. And they started talking about how that's just not fair - that our school districts in more affluent communities are actually providing menstrual products than schools that are not in affluent areas. And guess who needs it more? And so just the fact that these teens think about access - and think about who is getting services and resources and who isn't - is just heartwarming for me. And the fact that they're willing to fight for others. So yes, all schools in Washington and colleges provide menstrual products in bathrooms now. [00:47:51] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And if people want to learn more about the work that you're doing or support legislation that you have, what's the best way for them to get engaged? [00:48:00] Senator Manka Dhingra: The best way is to email my office, or get a hold of me on social media, and subscribe to my newsletter. If anyone is interested in any particular bill or issue, my office can help you get connected to how to get more information. But check out our website, leg.wa.gov - they have a lot of resources on how you can follow a bill, how you can sign up to testify. Our hearings are all hybrid, so you can testify on an issue from the comfort of your home or your car - as long as you're not driving. And if you don't want to testify, you can send in written testimony or simply show your support for a bill or opposition to a bill - and all of that gets counted. And democracy is not an individual sport - it is a team sport. You got to play and you got to be part of a team - and that's the only way we make our world better. [00:48:56] Crystal Fincher: Well, thank you so much today, Senator Manka Dhingra, for joining us and for sharing all of the work that you're doing. [00:49:02] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you so much. This was a great conversation and I loved absolutely chatting about these tough issues with you. [00:49:09] Crystal Fincher: Well, thank you and we will stay in touch. Thank you all for listening to Hacks & Wonks. The producer of Hacks & Wonks is Lisl Stadler. Our assistant producer is Shannon Cheng, and our Post-Production Assistant is Bryce Cannatelli. You can find Hacks & Wonks on Twitter @HacksWonks, and you can follow me @finchfrii, spelled F-I-N-C-H-F-R-I-I. You can catch Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered right to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave us a review wherever you listen. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.

We hear a lot in educational circles about preparing today's youth for the future, most often in terms of increasing academic scores and achievements, but Destination Imagination casts an even wider net, by inspiring and equipping Kindergartners - 12th graders to imagine, innovate and collaboratively problem solve, with peers, while focusing on STEAM challenges. Some of the Social Emotional values that naturally develop for kids when they participate in Destination Imagination challenges include collaboration, respect, perseverance, and integrity… and in the short time we had for this conversation, we were able to dig deep into how those values are evoked and exercised. The leadership team at Destination Imagination (DI) is self-described as small but mighty. It was my extreme good fortune to share conversation with Adam Law, who currently serves as Director of Affiliate Relations, and who grew up participating in DI challenges, year after year. His enthusiasm is deep and deeply contagious. From the DESTINATION IMAGINATION website: We inspire young people to imagine and innovate today so they become the creative and collaborative leaders of tomorrow. As parents and educators, our most important goal is to prepare our kids for the future. In Destination Imagination (DI), students work together in teams to solve open-ended STEAM challenges designed to teach the creative process. Why is that important? The creative process is a step-by-step approach that helps students better understand problems and ask better questions, come up with solutions, learn from failure, and celebrate their achievements. In going through this process, kids learn vital life and career skills—creative thinking, critical thinking, public speaking, and collaborative problem-solving—that help them feel empowered and set them up for success in their future. Each Challenge season, we produce one Early Learning Team Challenge designed for preschool through 2nd grade. Early Learning teams will work over several weeks or months on a solution or presentation, which they will present at a DI tournament for feedback, kudos and standing ovations! These teams will not be ranked or scored in any way. And here's the link to the Big Picture SEL Podcast Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BigPictureSocialEmotionaLifeskillsPodcast --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/nini-white/message

Brian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bknudtson/Destination Imagination: https://www.destinationimagination.org/Odyssey of the Mind: https://www.odysseyofthemind.com/Mark Rober's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarkRoberSilicon Prairie News: https://siliconprairienews.com/ZoomTown: https://www.businessinsider.com/zoom-town-inequality-remote-workers-work-from-home-big-cities-2022-4

This week, host Andrew Whitmire chats with Shira Ali, founder of REI Chics, a property management training and consulting firm. Shira takes us through the decision making process behind leaving her corporate job to start her own business, and gives us some insights to the many skill sets she uses in her work.   You can learn more about Shira and her podcast, Manage Your Property with Ease, by visiting her website.   This week, we ask you to learn more about Destination Imagination by signing up for our introductory webinar. Visit our website to register for a live session or download a captioned video today!   A transcript of this episode is available here.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

This week, most of our staff and volunteers are in Kansas City, Missouri, for our Global Finals tournament. If you've never attended Global Finals, it's an event unlike any other - so we asked some of our alumni to describe their experience for you.   This week, we ask you to consider making a charitable donation to Destination Imagination. Click here to make your contribution today.   A transcript of this episode is available here.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

In this week's episode, host Michele Tuck-Ponder chats with Antwaun Thompson, aka Coach T, Executive Director of JLT Fieldhouse and owner of Coach T's Corner. Coach T shares his stories from the basketball court and tells us about the leadership skills that can be gained through team sports.   You can learn more about Coach T and his leadership programs by visiting his website.   This week, we ask you to learn more about Destination Imagination by signing up for our introductory webinar. Visit our website to register for a live session or download a captioned video today!   A transcript of this episode is available here.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

 “My advice: Follow your heart. Follow your dreams. Work hard. Show you can do.” - John Cronin   “Don't ever focus on somebody's limitations. Be awed by the possibilities.” - Mark X. Cronin   Part 2 of 2! Join us for Part 2 of our interview with John and Mark Cronin, founders of John's Crazy Socks. In this episode, John and Mark tell us more about their advocacy work for people with differing abilities, how they use communication in the workplace, and their initiatives to spread happiness. John even answers our Rapid Fire questions! Mark and John also tell us more about their upcoming JCS Champions, which provides business resources for people with different abilities.   Learn more about John and Mark Cronin by visiting JohnsCrazySocks.com.   In this episode, we ask you to consider making a charitable donation to Destination Imagination. Click here to learn more about and make your contribution today.   Click here for a transcript of today's episode: https://dihq.box.com/s/d08rpn07zterv6jwn3zsb59irpuevmdg   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Pleasant Porridge by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7614-pleasant-porridge License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

“We're in this for the long haul, so we're looking to make personal connections and share the experience with our customers - we're looking to create an experience for our customers. Once you believe that, then it becomes manifest in everything you do.” - Mark X. Cronin   In our Season 2 premiere, host Paige Curtis sits down with John and Mark Cronin, a father and son duo who are the founders of John's Crazy Socks. In part 1 of our interview with John and Mark, they share the origin story of their business, what makes them unique, and even how they got some ideas from a Jon Favreau movie. John and Mark also open up about John's journey as a person with Down Syndrome, and how their business gives them the opportunity to advocate for people with different abilities.    Learn more about John and Mark Cronin by visiting JohnsCrazySocks.com.   In this episode, we ask you to learn more about Destination Imagination by signing up for our introductory webinar. Visit our website to register for a live session or download a captioned video today!   Click here for a transcript of this episode: https://dihq.box.com/s/y62l1c4c7d17k8qv0sxzvs55kgwd8v0k   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

WE'RE BACK! Season 2 of What's the Big Idea? debuts April 21. Join us for a new round of interviews, including authors, teachers, entrepreneurs, meteorologists, and more! What's the Big Idea? is available wherever you get your podcasts.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song... License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   TRANSCRIPT:  MICHELE: Hi, I'm Michele Tuck-Ponder, Executive Director of Destination Imagination and host of DI's career podcast - What's the Big Idea?   On What's the Big Idea?, you'll hear from fascinating industry leaders about how they created successful careers using the key tools of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.   Guests like Andrew Berry, General Manager of the Cleveland Browns:   ANDREW BERRY: All jobs are work, but all jobs don't necessarily have to feel like work.   MICHELE: Chloe Kontos from MD Anderson Cancer Center:   CHLOE KONTOS: I'm not a scientist, but that doesn't mean that I can't work on these issues or work in this domain. So I think that it's really important to have the courage to try out different domains and areas and not think that you need to be an expert. There are generalist roles in these STEM fields...and that means that you are part of the STEM workforce.”   MICHELE: And many more leaders spanning fields of science, technology, fine arts, and more.    And now, we're on to Season 2! I hope you'll join us as we speak to a new group of leaders and innovators in all new episodes. Season 2 of What's the Big Idea? streams on Thursdays, starting April 21st, wherever you get your podcasts.

It's tournament season for Destination Imagination teams! In this special edition episode of Roadmap+, we sit down with Amanda Potter and Erica Begun-Veenstra for some pointers about how to talk to your teams after your tournaments. They offer advice on how/if to adapt your solution between tournaments, how to help your team navigate big feelings a loss, and give a special shoutout to Brene Brown!    Amanda and Erica also give us some itsy-bitsy hints about next season, because the the 22-23 Challenge Previews are coming soon!   If you have other questions about your experience as a Team Manager, please contact us at volunteer@dihq.org.   Music Attribution: A Journey For Successful Winners by MusicLFiles Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/8105-a-journey-for-successful-winners License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Nix is an eighth-grader at R.J. Grey Junior High School in Acton/Boxborough, Mass. They participate in Destination Imagination with their STEM Team. Nix is also on the swim team. They are applying to a technical high school to pursue their interest in multimedia engineering. You're in for a 'tell it like it is' conversation with one engaging, bright, savvy 14 year old.

Children's author Shelley Larkin joins Michael John Sullivan to discuss their anti-bullying book, The SockKids Say No to Bullying. Larkin shares her insight and how a partnership with Destination Imagination inspired this book to help parents and children. Website: https://magiceverywhereinc.com/

“I see some young adults - and it kinda frustrates me a little bit - at top notch universities, that cannot really critically think. They know how to use the tools, and they know how to get direction, but if I say ‘Solve this problem' and it's kind of an open ended problem, they'll basically be asking for a set of instructions. And so that ability to really look and abstract the problem - it's something we really need to develop very early on.” - Ted Tagami   Part 2 of 2! In our Season 1 finale, guest host Andrew Whitmire finishes his conversation with Ted Tagami from Magnitude.io. Ted tells us about how he uses the four Cs (especially critical thinking!) in his work in the space industry, shares the value of being a lifelong learner , and answers the age old question - does pineapple belong on pizza?!?!   This week, we ask you to consider making a charitable donation to Destination Imagination, so you can fuel more creative educational experiences for young people around the world. Click here to make your contribution today.   Thank you for listening to Season 1 of What's the Big Idea?. More episodes will return in 2022!   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Pleasant Porridge by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7614-pleasant-porridge License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

“I am fully owning what makes me different, what makes me unique - and once we are able to fully own what makes us unique, we regain control over our narrative. And we are no longer controlled by the fear of being judged for not being like everyone else.” - Joze Piranian   In today's episode, guest host Paige Curtis chats with Joze Piranian, award-winning motivational speaker and stand-up comedian who's known for his TEDx presentations and his workshops on inclusion and resilience. Joze opens up about his stutter, and how he transformed from a person who avoided speaking for 25 years to someone who's spoken to audiences around the world (in multiple languages!).  Joze also tells us about how Toastmasters and stand-up comedy helped him learn to face his fear, and offers his advice to young people who feel like they are different.    This week, we ask you to consider becoming a Team Manager for a DI team. Click here to learn more about how to join the ranks of our valued Destination Imagination volunteers.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

What's so neat about this story is that we didn't meet our guest until a recent road trip. We went with our eldest daughter, Lillian, on a college visit to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. There we met Kimmy, her mom Rachel, and her big sister Kennedy. They just so happened to be in the same tour group as us and we immediately made a positive connection! After multiple “chance encounters” throughout Lynchburg we just knew we were supposed to invite the Narro's to tell their story. Will calls moments like these not a “coincidence” but, rather, a “God-incident.” We hope and pray you recognize why this was more than just a random encounter, but, rather a truly impactful story that encourages you as much as it has us!During this episode you will hear mostly from Kimmy. Her mom, Rachel, big sister, Kennedy, and our daughter Lillian also chime in throughout.This episode was recorded in Lynchburg, Virginia at a wonderful AirBnB called The Bird HouseDiscover more about our guests:Checkout Kimmy's music on YoutubeFollow Kimmy on Instagram @kimmygnarroFavorite quotes from the episode:"After not doing theater anymore God opened a new door for me to just focus on worship."“Worship has a special place in my heart because it's not just any lyrics to a song or just any words but it's totally the truth… those lyrics come from the Bible.”“Leading people to the throne of worship is like having a conversation with melodies to God.”“I have the Lord in my heart; that is the one true way to be happy and bring peace in life.”“I do have bad days but they're not as bad when you have Jesus in your life.”Fun things from the episode:The Narro family is from Edinburg in South Texas The Narro's are on a mission to visit every Major League Baseball stadium in the United StatesThey are big Houston Astros fansKimmy has professionally recorded covers of:You Say by Lauren DaigleHallelujah by Leonard CohenView this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/oGjSgHHBx-cShare your thoughts: podcast@sarahgood.comNow That's Something Good Podcast by Sarah Good is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0Show notes may contain affiliate links. This is at no extra cost to you but does help support telling more stories that bring more good. Now that is something good! Thank you for your kind support.

“You walk into a job, and you don't necessarily...you don't know these people, you don't know their backgrounds, you're going to have differences - as you should! We all should be different and come in with different ideas and different beliefs and different backgrounds or upbringing. ” - Marshall Rainey   If you've ever wondered exactly how tall Godzilla is, this week's episode is for you.   This week, guest host Paige Curtis chats with Marshall Rainey, Visual Effects Manager for films such as Zach Snyder's Justice League, Godzilla vs. Kong, and the upcoming adaptation of The Flash. Marshall, who is an alum of Destination Imagination, shares how his time as a student in team-driven activities prepared him for a career in the film industry. Marshall also shares some of his insights into how making movies has changed since the pandemic and offers advice to students who want to follow their dreams.    In this episode, we ask you to consider joining us for one of our webinars which serve as an introduction to DI. Register for a Destination Imagination Information Session - either live or on demand - by visiting this page.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

Hello!In this lesson Uncle Mike and Tony D are going to give you a little push in the right direction! In Hrvastski of course... With these new words, you will finally know which way you're going.. kind of.The Super Slatko Report takes you back to Korčula! Definitely a place DJ MOE has gotten to know pretty well, maybe one day you can to!Another fun lesson awaits, see you there!LLC Team

“New things only come from being creative. If we just accept tradition and only do traditional things going into the future, then we aren't going to make any progress.” - Dr. Chawne Kimber   In the latest episode of What's the Big Idea?, Michele interviews Dr. Chawne Kimber, Dean of the College and Washington and Lee University. Dr. Kimber describes how her Southern roots and her spirit of competition led to a career as a mathematics professor. Dr. Kimber also tells us more about the value of mentorship and the Summer Program to Advance Leadership in STEM.   In addition to her work in mathematics, Dr. Kimber is also an accomplished quilter. She shares with us a little bit about how social justice inspires her creations, and how she uses her creativity in both math and visual art.   In this week's episode, we ask you to consider becoming a Team Manager for a DI team. Click here to learn more about how to join the ranks of our valued Destination Imagination volunteers.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

“Communication is a big piece of every job I've ever had. If you have the best idea in the world, but you can't explain it to people, or explain it in a way that they can understand...your idea doesn't matter.” - Chloe Kontos   Part 2 of 2!  Guest host Paige Curtis continues her conversation with Chloe Kontos, the incoming Director of the Office of the CTO at MD Anderson Cancer Center. In Part 2, Chloe details how she used the four Cs (communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking) in her work in the Peace Corps, the White House, and JP Morgan Chase. Chloe also shares the value of being a generalist and finding a good mentor.   This week, we ask you to consider making a charitable donation to Destination Imagination, so you can fuel more creative educational experiences for young people around the world. Click here to make your contribution today.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Pleasant Porridge by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7614-pleasant-porridge License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

“I'm not a scientist, but that doesn't mean that I can't work on these issues or work in this domain. So I think that it's really important to have the courage to try out different domains and areas and not think that you need to be an expert. There are generalist roles in these STEM fields...and that means that you are part of the STEM workforce.” - Chloe Kontos    Part 1 of 2! This week guest host Paige Curtis speaks with Chloe Kontos, the incoming Director of the Office of the CTO at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Chloe shares her experiences in the Peace Corps - “the reason I have everything I have today in my life” - and a career working within three White House administrations. In Part 1, Chloe takes us through her time in the federal government, what it means to be an “honest broker”,  and how the average citizen unexpectedly interacts with government agencies throughout their lifetime.   This week, we ask you to consider making a charitable donation to Destination Imagination, so you can fuel more creative educational experiences for young people around the world. Click here to make your contribution today.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Pleasant Porridge by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7614-pleasant-porridge License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Group dynamics and creative problem solving are importantthings for everyone to understand because we all must navigate within them. Butcan those dynamics be taught in a creative way? And how about to our kids in apoint in time when they're probably the most? Well, that's the question posed to us by destination imagination. In this episode the nerds are going to be talking with Rick Wimberly. He's a memb er of destination machination in Nashville, and he's going to tell us amazing stories about how kids can learn, imagine, and come up with great, great solutions to everyday problems. It's an amazing show that you're not going to want to miss! If you'd like to learn more about Destination Imagination,you can learn more at their website https://www.destinationimagination.org/ If you'd like to join in the discussion, you can email theNERDS at learningnerdscast@gmail.com

“Realize that there's no expectation that you must get it all right. That's where that grace comes in. But really being genuine and recognizing that I don't know everything, whomever's having that conversation may not know everything, but they're open and willing to learn...grace is huge. I cannot stress that enough.” - India Sylvester   In our latest episode, we are joined by India Sylvester, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Lumen Technologies. India tells us about how her love of reading and a surprising college elective course drew her to a career in Human Resources. India also shares more about Lumen Technologies' efforts in Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging and offers her advice for navigating conversations on inclusion.   Lumen Technologies partnered with Destination Imagination on the ImagineXperience, a unique new classroom experience for underserved youth. Learn more about the ImagineXperience here.   In this week's episode, we ask you to start your DI team for the 21-22 season. Click here to learn about ways to get started.   Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3851-happy-alley License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Loopster by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4991-loopster License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license 

Rachel Hensley joins us in this Episode to talk about how she became one of the the 2022 MSTA Regional Teachers of the Year, her passion for educating our youth, and she shares some awesome success tips!  Rachel's Bio-   Rachel Hensley received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri, and her Gifted teaching certification from the University of Missouri in Columbia.  She currently holds the position of gifted and talented (GT) educator for 6-8 grade students at the Carl Junction Intermediate and Junior High.  Teaching GT students has been a passion of Rachel's even before she was hired at Carl Junction in 2015.  She was a member of Carl Junction's first GT class, Dimensions, in the late 1980s.  After acquiring the GT teaching position, Hensley has led multiple Destination Imagination high school and junior high teams to global competitions in both Knoxville, TN, and Kansas City, MO.  Her teams have experienced success statewide and globally in this creative problem-solving competition.  She also coaches 6-8 grade academic bowl teams and in 2016 relaunched the History Day program at the Carl Junction Junior High.  Rachel was recognized as the MSTA teacher of the month twice in 2020, received the Joplin Globe's HOOT Award (Honoring Our Outstanding Teachers) in December 2020, and was also featured in the Show Me the Ozarks June 2021 magazine.  Rachel strives to create a classroom atmosphere filled with creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking activities.  These transferable skills fused with a scholastic environment where every student belongs generates a place where learning is fun.  She wants her students to leave her classroom with not only the skills to create a better world, but also the desire.  Contact Rachel- rhensley@cjr1.org

“All jobs are work, but all jobs don't necessarily have to feel like work.” - Andrew Berry    In our first episode, Andrew Berry, General Manager of the Cleveland Browns, reflects on his journey to a career in professional football via Harvard, a computer science degree, and being willing to say no to Wall Street—proving there are many ways to pursue your passions. Andrew also tells us about the Browns' #BeTheSolution campaign and how all of us can work towards affecting change.    Andrew Berry is an alum of Destination Imagination and the recipient of the 2021 Alumni Icon Award. His advice to current DI teams: “Really compete in earnest and realize that you're developing life skills along the way.”    In this week's episode, we ask you to start planning your DI team for the 21-22 season. Click here to learn about ways to get started. Music Attributions: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Newer Wave by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7016-newer-wave  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Danse Macabre - Big Change by Kevin MacLeod  Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3588-danse-macabre---big-change  License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license   Carefree by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3476-carefree License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Sandy the Service Dog: Lost in a Hurricane By Michelle M Deyarmin Illustrator Jess Burhans "A hurricane is days away from hitting the shores of Florida. A service dog named Sandy, her owner Shelby, and their family must prepare for the storm that will soon change their lives forever. When the hurricane hits, Sandy is swept away by the current. Will Sandy ever make it back to her family? Will she ever see Shelby again?With the help of a few pals she meets along the way, Sandy must find her way home." www.amazon.com/Sandy-Service-Dog-Hurricane-Adventures/dp/0578565196/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= www.porchlightbooks.com/product/sandy-the-service-dog-lost-in-a-hurricane--jess-burhans?variationCode=9780578565194 www.m.barnesandnoble.com/w/sandy-the-service-dog-jess-burhans/1136574110 Sandy the Service Dog: Honeymoon Disaster By Michelle M Deyarmin Illustrator Jess Burhans "Getting ready for a vacation can be stressful. Especially when you are accidentally put on the wrong plane! Sandy and Max were nothing but excited to visit the shores of Hawaii with their family. When the dogs realize they were on the wrong plane they devise a plan to get back to their family. Escaping the airport forced to face the unknown. Will Sandy and Max make it to Hawaii and be reunited with their family?" www.amazon.com/Sandy-Service-Dog-Honeymoon-Adventures/dp/0578737795/ref=pd_sbs_2?pd_rd_w=ukm00&pf_rd_p=651d64d1-3c73-45b6-ae09-e545600e3a22&pf_rd_r=FMKYFF3EPT2QAWJCTZPR&pd_rd_r=11982445-35e8-4ed0-9a86-21597bdb591b&pd_rd_wg=PGpZB&pd_rd_i=0578737795&psc=1 Author Bio & Links: Michelle M Deyarmin (1996- Present) grew up in a small town in Ohio. In 6th grade she signed up for a short story contest through her school. She didn't make the team and she was devastated, but her teacher at the time reassured her telling her that her writing was good, she just needed more time to develop the story. This has always stuck with Michelle. Michelle currently lives with her fiancé, Luke and their dogs Rosie, Sage, and Sweetpea. "Sandy the Service Dog: Lost in a Hurricane" is Michelle's first published book. She is very proud of how far she has come. Michelle also writes lyrics and has 6 fully finished songs. She also dabbled in poetry when she was younger and won numerous contests. She hopes you enjoy her work :). Social media links: Instagram handle: author_mmd Facebook: Author Michelle M Deyarmin www.facebook.com/Michelle-M-Deyarmin-393029861272709/ Author Bio - Amazon: www.amazon.com/Michelle-M.-Deyarmin/e/B07XH5FB8T%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls Website: www.authormichellemdeyarmin.com/sandy-the-service-dog/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578565196/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ox.BDbJ4YGTA9_nodl Illustrator Bio & Links: Jess Burhans of Miamisburg Ohio, was a student at the University of Cincinnati's School of Art, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Her major is a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Communications. Creativity and graphic design are two of her major passions. For four years she was a member and team leader of a Destination Imagination team where she learned time management, creativity, and teamwork. Facebook: Illustrator Jess Burhans www.m.facebook.com/CREATEJLB/about/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=0 www.behance.net/abblevine www.society6.com/arttravelsbyjessicalynburhans www.linkedin.com/in/jess-burhans-535472117 www.etsy.com/shop/gphite?ref=seller-platform-mcnav. You can find out more about TeaFairy StoryTime at: YOUTUBE www.youtube.com/user/TofArcata FACEBOOK PAGE www.facebook.com/TeaFairyAndFriendsStorytimeAndAdventures FACEBOOK GROUP www.facebook.com/groups/286299862950026/?ref=share&exp=e8c2 PODCASTS www.open.spotify.com/show/2nENz4106xNMFpgeLJ7dfZ?si=lmocr69pSXyLMQh0hFJGjw&utm_source=copy-link www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy81NWJiODJlNC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw== www.breaker.audio/teafairy-storytime-podcast www.pca.st/vu22isrs www.radiopublic.com/teafairy-storytime-podcast-WdnBL7 www.anchor.fm :) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/teafairystorytime/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teafairystorytime/support

Hello!In E46 Uncle Mike and Tony D have some new words to help you around the home. Another great opportunity to leave post-its around your house to help pick up some new vocabulary going forward.DJ MOE talks about Zlatni Rat, one of the most famous, interesting and unique beaches in all of Europe not just Croatia.Sounds too good to be true? Find out for your self, see you there!Bog.LLC Team

Sandy the Service Dog: Lost in a Hurricane By Michelle M Deyarmin Illustrator Jess Burhans "A hurricane is days away from hitting the shores of Florida. A service dog named Sandy, her owner Shelby, and their family must prepare for the storm that will soon change their lives forever. When the hurricane hits, Sandy is swept away by the current. Will Sandy ever make it back to her family? Will she ever see Shelby again?With the help of a few pals she meets along the way, Sandy must find her way home." www.amazon.com/Sandy-Service-Dog-Hurricane-Adventures/dp/0578565196/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= www.porchlightbooks.com/product/sandy-the-service-dog-lost-in-a-hurricane--jess-burhans?variationCode=9780578565194 www.m.barnesandnoble.com/w/sandy-the-service-dog-jess-burhans/1136574110 Sandy the Service Dog: Honeymoon Disaster By Michelle M Deyarmin Illustrator Jess Burhans "Getting ready for a vacation can be stressful. Especially when you are accidentally put on the wrong plane! Sandy and Max were nothing but excited to visit the shores of Hawaii with their family. When the dogs realize they were on the wrong plane they devise a plan to get back to their family. Escaping the airport forced to face the unknown. Will Sandy and Max make it to Hawaii and be reunited with their family?" www.amazon.com/Sandy-Service-Dog-Honeymoon-Adventures/dp/0578737795/ref=pd_sbs_2?pd_rd_w=ukm00&pf_rd_p=651d64d1-3c73-45b6-ae09-e545600e3a22&pf_rd_r=FMKYFF3EPT2QAWJCTZPR&pd_rd_r=11982445-35e8-4ed0-9a86-21597bdb591b&pd_rd_wg=PGpZB&pd_rd_i=0578737795&psc=1 Author Bio & Links: Michelle M Deyarmin(1996- Present) grew up in a small town in Ohio. In 6th grade she signed up for a short story contest through her school. She didn't make the team and she was devastated, but her teacher at the time reassured her telling her that her writing was good, she just needed more time to develop the story. This has always stuck with Michelle. Michelle currently lives with her fiancé, Luke and their dogs Rosie, Sage, and Sweetpea. "Sandy the Service Dog: Lost in a Hurricane" is Michelle's first published book. She is very proud of how far she has come. Michelle also writes lyrics and has 6 fully finished songs. She also dabbled in poetry when she was younger and won numerous contests. She hopes you enjoy her work :). Social media links: Instagram handle: author_mmd Facebook: Author Michelle M Deyarmin www.facebook.com/Michelle-M-Deyarmin-393029861272709/ Author Bio on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Michelle-M.-Deyarmin/e/B07XH5FB8T%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls Website: www.authormichellemdeyarmin.com/sandy-the-service-dog/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578565196/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ox.BDbJ4YGTA9_nodl Illustrator Bio & Links: Jess Burhans of Miamisburg Ohio, was a student at the University of Cincinnati's School of Art, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Her major is a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Communications. Creativity and graphic design are two of her major passions. For four years she was a member and team leader of a Destination Imagination team where she learned time management, creativity, and teamwork Facebook: Illustrator Jess Burhans www.m.facebook.com/CREATEJLB/about/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=0 www.behance.net/abblevine www.society6.com/arttravelsbyjessicalynburhans www.linkedin.com/in/jess-burhans-535472117 www.etsy.com/shop/gphite?ref=seller-platform-mcnav --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/teafairystorytime/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teafairystorytime/support

Sandy the Service Dog: Lost in a Hurricane By Michelle M Deyarmin Illustrator Jess Burhans "A hurricane is days away from hitting the shores of Florida. A service dog named Sandy, her owner Shelby, and their family must prepare for the storm that will soon change their lives forever. When the hurricane hits, Sandy is swept away by the current. Will Sandy ever make it back to her family? Will she ever see Shelby again?With the help of a few pals she meets along the way, Sandy must find her way home." www.amazon.com/Sandy-Service-Dog-Hurricane-Adventures/dp/0578565196/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= www.porchlightbooks.com/product/sandy-the-service-dog-lost-in-a-hurricane--jess-burhans?variationCode=9780578565194 www.m.barnesandnoble.com/w/sandy-the-service-dog-jess-burhans/1136574110 Sandy the Service Dog: Honeymoon Disaster By Michelle M Deyarmin Illustrator Jess Burhans "Getting ready for a vacation can be stressful. Especially when you are accidentally put on the wrong plane! Sandy and Max were nothing but excited to visit the shores of Hawaii with their family. When the dogs realize they were on the wrong plane they devise a plan to get back to their family. Escaping the airport forced to face the unknown. Will Sandy and Max make it to Hawaii and be reunited with their family?" www.amazon.com/Sandy-Service-Dog-Honeymoon-Adventures/dp/0578737795/ref=pd_sbs_2?pd_rd_w=ukm00&pf_rd_p=651d64d1-3c73-45b6-ae09-e545600e3a22&pf_rd_r=FMKYFF3EPT2QAWJCTZPR&pd_rd_r=11982445-35e8-4ed0-9a86-21597bdb591b&pd_rd_wg=PGpZB&pd_rd_i=0578737795&psc=1 Author Bio & Links: Michelle M Deyarmin(1996- Present) grew up in a small town in Ohio. In 6th grade she signed up for a short story contest through her school. She didn't make the team and she was devastated, but her teacher at the time reassured her telling her that her writing was good, she just needed more time to develop the story. This has always stuck with Michelle. Michelle currently lives with her fiancé, Luke and their dogs Rosie, Sage, and Sweetpea. "Sandy the Service Dog: Lost in a Hurricane" is Michelle's first published book. She is very proud of how far she has come. Michelle also writes lyrics and has 6 fully finished songs. She also dabbled in poetry when she was younger and won numerous contests. She hopes you enjoy her work :). Social media links: Instagram handle: author_mmd Facebook: Author Michelle M Deyarmin www.facebook.com/Michelle-M-Deyarmin-393029861272709/ Author Bio on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Michelle-M.-Deyarmin/e/B07XH5FB8T%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls Website: www.authormichellemdeyarmin.com/sandy-the-service-dog/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578565196/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ox.BDbJ4YGTA9_nodl Illustrator Bio & Links: Jess Burhans of Miamisburg Ohio, was a student at the University of Cincinnati's School of Art, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Her major is a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Communications. Creativity and graphic design are two of her major passions. For four years she was a member and team leader of a Destination Imagination team where she learned time management, creativity, and teamwork Facebook: Illustrator Jess Burhans www.m.facebook.com/CREATEJLB/about/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=0 www.behance.net/abblevine www.society6.com/arttravelsbyjessicalynburhans www.linkedin.com/in/jess-burhans-535472117 www.etsy.com/shop/gphite?ref=seller-platform-mcnav --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/teafairystorytime/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teafairystorytime/support

We have a brand new chapter book that we are beginning this week called Sandy the Service Dog: Lost in a Hurricane By Michelle M Deyarmin Illustrator Jess Burhans. "A hurricane is days away from hitting the shores of Florida. A service dog named Sandy, her owner Shelby, and their family must prepare for the storm that will soon change their lives forever. When the hurricane hits, Sandy is swept away by the current. Will Sandy ever make it back to her family? Will she ever see Shelby again? With the help of a few pals she meets along the way, Sandy must find her way home." Amazon at www.amazon.com/Sandy-Service-Dog-Hurricane-Adventures/dp/0578565196/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= And Porchlight books at www.porchlightbooks.com/product/sandy-the-service-dog-lost-in-a-hurricane--jess-burhans?variationCode=9780578565194 And Barnes and Noble at www.m.barnesandnoble.com/w/sandy-the-service-dog-jess-burhans/1136574110 Sandy the Service Dog: Honeymoon Disaster By Michelle M Deyarmin Illustrator Jess Burhans "Getting ready for a vacation can be stressful. Especially when you are accidentally put on the wrong plane! Sandy and Max were nothing but excited to visit the shores of Hawaii with their family. When the dogs realize they were on the wrong plane they devise a plan to get back to their family. Escaping the airport forced to face the unknown. Will Sandy and Max make it to Hawaii and be reunited with their family?" www.amazon.com/Sandy-Service-Dog-Honeymoon-Adventures/dp/0578737795/ref=pd_sbs_2?pd_rd_w=ukm00&pf_rd_p=651d64d1-3c73-45b6-ae09-e545600e3a22&pf_rd_r=FMKYFF3EPT2QAWJCTZPR&pd_rd_r=11982445-35e8-4ed0-9a86-21597bdb591b&pd_rd_wg=PGpZB&pd_rd_i=0578737795&psc=1 Author Bio & Links: Michelle M Deyarmin (1996- Present) grew up in a small town in Ohio. In 6th grade she signed up for a short story contest through her school. She didn't make the team and she was devastated, but her teacher at the time reassured her telling her that her writing was good, she just needed more time to develop the story. This has always stuck with Michelle. Michelle currently lives with her fiancé, Luke and their dogs Rosie, Sage, and Sweetpea. "Sandy the Service Dog: Lost in a Hurricane" is Michelle's first published book. She is very proud of how far she has come. Michelle also writes lyrics and has 6 fully finished songs. She also dabbled in poetry when she was younger and won numerous contests. She hopes you enjoy her work :). Social media links: Instagram handle: author_mmd Facebook: Author Michelle M Deyarmin www.facebook.com/Michelle-M-Deyarmin-393029861272709/ Author Bio on Amazon: www.amazon.com/Michelle-M.-Deyarmin/e/B07XH5FB8T%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls Website: www.authormichellemdeyarmin.com/sandy-the-service-dog/ And https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578565196/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ox.BDbJ4YGTA9_nodl Illustrator Bio & Links: Jess Burhans of Miamisburg Ohio, was a student at the University of Cincinnati's School of Art, Architecture, Art, and Planning. Her major is a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Communications. Creativity and graphic design are two of her major passions. For four years she was a member and team leader of a Destination Imagination team where she learned time management, creativity, and teamwork Facebook: Illustrator Jess Burhans www.m.facebook.com/CREATEJLB/about/?ref=page_internal&mt_nav=0 Other Links for this artist include: 1) www.behance.net/abblevine 2) www.society6.com/arttravelsbyjessicalynburhans 3) www.linkedin.com/in/jess-burhans-535472117 and 4) www.etsy.com/shop/gphite?ref=seller-platform-mcnav --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/teafairystorytime/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/teafairystorytime/support

Ladies and Gentlemen and Children of all ages!!Welcome to our latest installment of Pod Cast Theatre!In this sketch we take you to a fun surprise for one of our very own, Tony D. Sit back, take a listen and do your best to follow along. And don't worry if you missed anything, Uncle Mike will go over it with us afterwards.In this weeks Super Slatko Report, DJ MOE will talk a little bit about how cool our finger prints are and its connection to a famous Croatian.Don't want to miss this one.See you there!Bog!

A preview of what's coming soon on What's the Big Idea?, presented by Destination Imagination. Subscribe today!     Music: Wallpaper by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4604-wallpaper License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

The panel discusses pool testing, vaccinations, valentines for seniors, Destination Imagination, an upcoming anti-racism panel, “weather now” with Tom Champoux, and a great discussion with Sheila Gauch, amazing Melrosian who is also Chairwoman of the Melrose Special Education Advisory Council.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE with Host Lori Anne Casdia with Guests Michael John Sullivan and Shelley Larkin of Magic Everywhere, Inc.Michael John Sullivan is the CEO of Magic Everywhere, Inc., a company based in Florida. It's mission is to entertain children from 2 to 92 with our dynamic characters and adventurous stories through books, animation, illustrations, podcasts, and merchandise. Sullivan has also written several award winning and best selling novels. He has taken up the cause of homeless after suffering the same fate. His articles have been featured on CNN.com, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Beliefnet.com, And Patch.comFirst and foremost they are on a mission to spread empathy & acceptance through the power of storytelling and provide a foundation for other creatives to share and cultivate the importance of a vivid imagination, understanding, and kindness through books, videos, and animation. What inspires you? Each project lends itself to telling a story; touching on topics that are meaningful and help to add value to the reader's life. Creating characters, breathing life into their personalities and watching them develop and evolve is one of my favorite areas to work in. After that, and most importantly, when you can reach just one individual with your message that helps make a difference for them, then you know you made the right decision to do what you do.Shelley Larkin is the co-collaborator and writing partner with Michael John Sullivan, CEO of Magic Everywhere Inc. Joint projects include the targeted animation series, Nick Knitley and The SockKids, Dr. Neverme, and Dinomike. In addition to her writing contributions, Shelley is also involved in all aspects of Magic Everywhere Inc. business ventures, including character development, illustration collaboration, website design, marketing and promotions, and merchandising of books, videos and other products.Magic Everywhere Inc. recently launched a wonderful rhyming story, The Lizard Who Loves A Blizzard that tells of an adorable lizard from down under who dreams of snow on Christmas day. Larry is dying to take to the slopes while riding his snowboard. His dream comes true and he has the time of his life! Shelley is the lead writer on this wild ride. When Shelley's not writing, another of her passions is the Destination Imagination (DI) worldwide learning program for kids K-12, where she served as Director in the greater Sacramento area.Focused on creative problem-solving techniques, hundreds of thousands of children are served by the program each year, supported by thousands of volunteers. Michael and Shelley’s initial collaboration was co-authoring a children’s short story, “The SockKids Stand Up Against Bullying”, a nationally distributed book developed in concert with Destination Imagination. This story creates awareness of an important life lesson for children, and shows how The SockKids can deliver these messages through animation and books.www.magiceverywhereinc.comwww.magiceverywhereinc.comwww.facebook.com/magiceverywhereincorporatedPlease email us at HealthyLifestylewithLA@gmail.com and follow us on social media @healthylifestylewithLAOur Goal at Healthy Lifestyle is to inspire, educate and empower you to fulfilling a healthy, emotional, spiritual and physical life, so you can feel empowered to live the life you have always wanted and dreamed. We are here to lift each other up with encouragement and positivity. To serve one another.ABOUT Lori Anne De Iulio CasdiaBusiness & Marketing Strategist, Law of Attraction Practitioner & Master Mindset MentorFounder of LDC StrategiesFounder of Monarch LuminariesFounder of Soar to Success ProgramMotivational Speaker/Inspirational SpeakerEmcee/ModeratorMaster Mindset MentorLaw of Attraction PractitionerHost of HEALTHY LIFESTYLE (LI News Radio/I Heart Radio/InTune/Sound Cloud/YouTube)Publisher/Owner of Port Lifestyle MagazinePerformer/VocalistColumnist for LIBNCertified Herbalist Certified Aromatherapist Certified Life CoachCertified Kundalini Meditation Yoga CoachCertified H'oponopono PractitionerCertified Canfield Train the TrainerYoung Living ConsultantAwarded the 50 Top Most Influential Women in 2018Lori Anne’s personal philosophy is “We are all here to serve others and lift each other up. Be the best you because everybody else is taken.”Links www.LDCStrategies.com@LDCStrategies (FB/IG))@Healthylifestylewithla (FB/IG)You can also Listen to Healthy Lifestyle with Lori Anne on your favorite app: I Heart Media | iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Spreaker | Sound Cloud | TuneIn | YouTube

E Brings Fosters Home For Imaginary Friends: Destination Imagination to the podcast to show Rocque and Jeriah. 

Hello LLC Friends Everywhere!We have a new Lesson for you! Uncle Mike finally tells us what day it is! Tony D. will try to keep up but these new words sound like tongue twisters! Will Tony D. live to learn another day? Let's find out!DJ MOE's Super Slatko Report takes us on a virtual get-away! Let's learn about Pula!We here at LLC feel that there is something for everyone in Pula, hopefully after this Super Slatko Report you'll feel the same way and want to visit one day.We hope you enjoy this episode and we'll see you on the next one!- LLC Team.

While Sanaa was working on a painting in her art class at Mt.Pleasant HS we talked music,volleyball, theatre, art and Destination Imagination and how it sent a young girl with stage fright toward a path of being center stage!

Konu: Uğur Okulları STEM programları, IGCSE, GEMS vb uluslararası programlar, Destination Imagination, Enver Yücel CIFAL, UNITAR, Konuklar: Senem Süral, İzgi Biçer (Batıkent Ankara Uğur Okulları), Şefika Yılmaz (Mersin Uğur Okulları)

In our first episode of EZ Listening, we discuss the pros and cons of global finals in KC, MI along with logistics and our personal experiences with the event! Please note that all discussion of cons is done from our hearts and the love of DI we both have :) Follow us on Instagram @thebustedbiscuits

Jamie just went away on a trip for a week and so we thought we'd talk about being away from your significant other and what to do about it! In this episode we: -Make and eat Caleb's Quick and Easy, Garlic Cheesy, Easy Breezy Bread Crostini. -Rehash Jamie's trip (#GlobalFinals2019 for Destination Imagination). -Talk about Destination Imagination (@boxandball @idodi) which we'll cover more in a future episode! -Encourage you to send us feedback/voice messages! You could be featured in our podcast! -Feature Caleb's Review Corner™️ again. -Chew really loud (like always) and talk with food in our mouths. If you get to eat while you listen, we get to eat while we record! -Interview each other about what it's like to be away from each other. -Feature Rob Kubiak's Sound Corner and want you to tell us what the sound was this week! -Talk about comedy specials and comedians. -Include more awful (read: amazing and life-changing) puns. -Give suggestions for how to stay connected to your significant other when you're apart. -Talk about life hacks to stay close even when you're far away. -Remind everyone to make time for those that you love when you're apart! Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed this episode. Make sure to follow us on social media @justwhateverpod and now you can email us at justwhateverpod@gmail.com! Sign up for our weekly email updates here: tinyurl.com/justwhatever Love, Jamie & Caleb --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/justwhatever/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justwhatever/support

Melrose Destination Teams make it to GLOBALS in Kansas City! Listen to their projects and find out how you can help them get to Kansas City.

A MindShare Learning Moment with Pratham & Milan Grade 10 John Fraser Secondary School, Peel of School Board Champions of Regional & Provincial Destination Imagination Competition. Having Developed Drone Technology. These grade 10 students Qualified to go to the WORLD's Competition in Kansas City

We were in the studio today with Cathy Udy, her daughter Jackie, Makenna Blair, Addy Wallin & Ryan Ames to talk about their upcoming trip to […]

Help for an Abusive Relationship this post contains affiliate links On the Show Today: Lisa and Stu are Destination Imagination team managers for this school year again. Yee Haw. Email for today: Hi, Stu & Lisa. I know this is a marriage podcast but I love your advice. I am married and I grew up in a pretty loving Christian household and I feel deep down that my marriage is loving and Christ-honoring. I have a brother who a little younger than me & is in a current relationship. He is a Christ follower and his girlfriend is not. The woman he is with is very verbally abusive to him & has even said some pretty horrible things to me and my parents. She has also put her hands on my brother a time or two as well as kicked the dash in his car, smashed his phone etc. I and my family are completely devastated to see my brother date someone of this nature. We are confused to see how he ended up with someone that is like this considering that the marriage examples he has been given are nothing like the relationship he is in. It's very hard to watch because I love my brother. He says he wants to break up with her but can't because he is scared of her aftermath. How can you help someone get out of an abusive relationship? And how do you do it in a Christ-honoring way? Links: James 2 - Faith without Works is Dead The Hotline Supporting someone in an abusive relationship Path To Safety Trapped in an abusive Relationship - how to help The X Plan     Lake Tahoe Couples Getaway! ($100 off with our Affiliate Link!)   TEXT US YOUR question!!!! 1.615.592.1060 Show your Support for Stupendous Marriage! (affiliate link) Check out our new Amazon Influencer Page for Marriage Books To help support the show! Take a minute to comment and Rate us on iTunes! Hop on our email list to get marriage encouragement in your email weekly. Tell your Married Friends about the show! Stupendous Marriage Show on Facebook THANKS! Subscribe: iTunes| RSS|Google|Stitcher Additional Music from Audiohero.com  

In The Final Installment Of The Month Long Series On Momentum, Ike Invites UFW Podcast Producer Trei (tree) Taylor In For A Lesson In Imagination. For Adults Using Our Imagination Can Be Challenging, In This Episode Ike & Trei Take You Back To Childhood Where Imaginations Run Wild And Limitless, Speaking In The Present Tense Verbally Scripting What They See Ahead!

You are flying your airplane of life whether you know it or not. The more you can learn about controlling your life the easier it is to rise out of the clouds of confusion and fly in the sunny part of life. One huge tool is your imagination. That is our destination on todays flight.

In #InVinoFab Podcast, Episode #24 @ProfPatrice & @LauraPasquini chat with Brooke Welch (@esbsteamcoord) about all things Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) and the value of makerspaces in education! Brooke is the STEAM Coordinator for the Dr. Elmer S. Bagnall Elementary School (https://esb-pentucketrsd-ma.schoolloop.com/), a PK - 6 coed public school in Groveland, MA where she manages the school's Makerspace and Maker education. Discover making at Bagnall: https://bwelch3.wixsite.com/innovationstudios Brooke advocates for a wide range of creativity and giving “voice with choice” in her role in supporting her learners. Besides being a dedicated instructor and innovative team leader for STEAM in her school, Brooke really wants to provide an open space to engage, think critically, and involve her students in hands-on, problem-based learning in an educational makerspace environment. She encourages student to tinker, explore, and become their own expert of a a “passion project” they choose to work in the MakerSpace and steamLab at Bagnall. Here are some of the many things we talked about and shared during our pod conversation:Why Making? Remember when we were taught hands-on skills, talents, and trades in education -- it's important to have these inquisitive experiences and tinkering applied experiences can spark curiosity and critical thinking. What is STEAM? https://educationcloset.com/steam/what-is-steam/Arts Integration and STEAM Education https://educationcloset.com/ Common Core State Standards Initiative http://www.corestandards.org/-- ISTE 2018 Conferences https://conference.iste.org/2018/-- MIT Edgerton Center: Makerspace Resources for K-12 Educators http://k12maker.mit.edu/   -- Learning Supported by Making http://k12maker.mit.edu/learning-supported-by-making-2017-18.html  -- Maker Methodology in K-12 http://k12maker.mit.edu/our-process.html -- Destination Imagination https://www.destinationimagination.org/-- Genius Hour http://geniushour.com/  “Persistence is huge...I really try to encourage failure and to celebrate failure, because there are so many times that any student or any person is going to fail at something. And to be able to rebound and bounce back from that and try it again -- that's just a huge skill that we all need.” ~Brooke Welch, On the Value of Making in EducationConnect and follow both Brooke's work, the steamLab and making at Bagnall here:-- Twitter: @esbsteamcoord -- Pentucket Regional School District: https://www.prsd.org/ -- Makerspace: https://bwelch3.wixsite.com/innovationstudios/tools-and-training -- Innovation Studios: https://bwelch3.wixsite.com/innovationstudios -- Passion Projects: https://bwelch3.wixsite.com/innovationstudios/about-1 -- Design & Engineering Expo https://bwelch3.wixsite.com/innovationstudios/copy-of-community-outreach-- Community Workshops https://bwelch3.wixsite.com/innovationstudios/book-online -- Brooke's Etsy : https://www.etsy.com/people/brooketrout2 #InVinoFab Recommendations from Brooke:PODCAST: TeacherCast Educational Network https://www.teachercast.net/ WINE: Cabernet Sauvignon BOOK: Launch by Jonathan Spencer & A. J. Juliani http://thelaunchcycle.com/ Is there someone else we should talk to? Do you have a question or issue we should chat about on a future pod?  Let us know. We'd love to hear from you about whose story we should share on a future #InVinoFab episode. Send us love, suggestions, and comments to: invinofabulum@gmail.com Stay connected to the #InVinoFab Podcast: Hosts: Patrice (@profpatrice) & Laura (@laurapasquini); pronouns: she/her Twitter: https://twitter.com/invinofab Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/invinofab/ 

Welcome to the Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Spotlight Series Podcast. In this episode, Jeff sits down with David Harcrow to discuss how he is providing a college and career ready curriculum that not only can be felt K12, but well beyond graduation day. Read Davids Blog post today https://blogs.office.com/2016/08/18/kings-schools-journey-with-sway/ (https://blogs.office.com/2016/08/18/kings-schools-journey-with-sway/) About “David Harcrow” David Harcrow is the Academic Technology Coordinator for King's Schools. At King's David has implemented Office 365 for all students and staff grades 6-12 and plans to include all grades k-12. David has been planning and is in the process of implementing One Surface Proper student which will begin school year 17-18 at the HS level. He currently teaches teachers and students on the use of Office 365 apps including SWAY, OneNote, OneDrive, Microsoft Classroom and more. In addition, David manages, configures, and trains teachers on the use of Smartboards, RenWeb (Student management software), (250) Surfaces, (150) iPads, and much more. This is David's 9th year as Academic Technology Coordinator at King's. Prior to joining King's, he was an educator at Darrington Grade School for ten years, teaching in Grades 2, 3, 5, and 6. He also served as the head coach for Darrington High School's varsity baseball team for three years; as the middle school volleyball coach for two years; as the coordinator for Natural Helpers for six years; and one year each as the Destination Imagination coach and the chess club coordinator. During his tenure at Darrington, he was chosen by his principal to introduce and train other teachers in a peer learning process that addressed powerful teaching and learning. While at Darrington, Dave independently created a fully functional class website permitting parents and students to check grades, homework, and take online classes. After receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in psychology, Dave attended City University, where he earned his master's degree in teaching. https://twitter.com/harkeyii (https://twitter.com/harkeyii) https://education.microsoft.com/Status/Publictoken=76145721 (https://education.microsoft.com/Status/Publictoken=76145721) https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-harcrow-15149a28 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-harcrow-15149a28) Links of interest http://Education.Microsoft.com (Education.Microsoft.com) Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/microsoft_edu (@Microsoft_EDU) Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/onenoteedu (@OneNoteEDU) About the MIE Spotlight Series Podcast The http://www.TeacherCast.net/MIESpotlight (MIE Spotlight Series) is a co-branded educational podcast produced in collaboration between the http://www.TeacherCast.net (TeacherCast Educational Broadcasting Network) and http://www.twitter.com/microsoft_edu (Microsoft Education). Hosted by http://www.twitter.com/jeffbradbury (Jeff Bradbury), the MIE Spotlight series focuses on innovative thinking and teaching that incorporates cutting-edge technology being deployed in classrooms.  For more information on the Microsoft Innovative Educator program, please visit: http://education.microsoft.com (http://education.microsoft.com) Subscribe Today! Website: http://www.TeacherCast.net/MIESpotlight (http://www.TeacherCast.net/MIESpotlight) iTunes: http://www.TeacherCast.net/MIEAudio (http://www.TeacherCast.net/MIEAudio) YouTube: http://www.TeacherCast.net/MIEVideo (http://www.TeacherCast.net/MIEVideo) Contact the Show Host: Jeff Bradbury http://www.TeacherCast.net/twitter (@TeacherCast) Email: feedback@teachercast.net Voice Mail: http://www.TeacherCast.net/voicemail (http://www.TeacherCast.net/voicemail) About Microsoft Education Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that develops, manufactures, licenses supports and sells computer software, consumer electronics,...

I came close to a breakdown this morning. The obvious reason is ridiculous. My cleaning lady comes today. Who has a breakdown over someone coming to clean for them? I have someone help me out for an hour every other week. It keeps me sane. Usually. It makes sure that no matter what else happens in my schedule, my toilets get cleaned and my floors get vacuumed and my house gets dusted on a regular basis. This two hours a month is a complete luxury for me, which I am so very grateful for. Usually. Rebecca coming makes sure that no matter what else happens in my schedule, my toilets get cleaned and my floors get vacuumed and my house gets dusted on a regular basis. This two hours a month is a complete luxury for me, which I am so very grateful for. Except for this morning. She's only here for an hour. In order for her to do what I pay her to do, I have to have some things done in advance. For example, she can't vacuum the floor if we have stuff everywhere. I pay her to vacuum.  She can--and is happy to--move stuff, but she can't do as good a job and I want her vacuuming, not picking up. My house is a disaster right now. I have a pile of stuff in the living room that's been there since the Destination Imagination competition in March. And our hallway is full of stuff my son left there when he came home from camp in June. Everywhere else is just as big a mess. It drives me crazy. I  worked upstairs in my parents' area last weekend because I didn't have time to clean up and I couldn't handle the visual chaos and constant reminder of what I wasn't getting done. I'm hoping I'm not the only one and someone out there can relate. This week is Fall break and my son is home for a few days and we're not travelling. Perfect time to make some headway on cleaning up things like the hallway and the DI piles. Right after I get this podcast recorded, get my work caught up and make candy for a meeting tonight. But, I forgot it was a Rebecca day. On top of my already crazy full schedule, I needed to get the place Rebecca-ready. I almost had a breakdown. The real problem right now is lack of margin. I'm operating way too close to the edge of handling everything. So, one thing--adding something into my full morning schedule--that wouldn't normally be a big deal instead makes me feel like losing it. About Overwhelm Overwhelm is a type of emotional paralysis where you feel as though you're unable to cope with or handle your circumstances. It may not be schedule driven like mine was this morning. It could be financial, relational, or physical. Overwhelm is an epidemic in society today. The speed of change, amount of daily inputs we have to handle, the culture of overwork, chronic stress levels, cultural pressure to do it all, be it all and have it all, personal factors (like perfectionism), and social pressures (like an environment of comparison) all contribute to a vast number of people feeling overwhelmed. Including me. A year or two ago, I got tired of feeling that way, so I did what I tend to do when I get curious about something. I did some research. How are people talking about overwhelm? What can we do to combat it? Today, I had to pull out my results from the work I did then and use it. So, I thought I'd share a little bit of it with you. Eliminating Overwhelm There are two phases to feeling overwhelmed. One is an acute phase, an initial paralysis, a breakdown, a panicked. "I've had it, I've hit my breaking point" phase. The second is a chronic phase. This morning, I was in an acute phase. So, I pulled out my first aid tactics. I have twenty-five of them, so I'm not going to overwhelm you with all of them. Here are five that helped me today. Do a Brain Dump. Part of what caused my anxiety this morning was too many things in my head. So, I sat down and got it all down on paper. Today, that looked like a to-do list for me. It might look like a list of all the things you're worried about. It might be a list of all the projects you need to manage. All the steps needed to do whatever you're trying to do. All the things you're afraid you'll forget. Everything running around in your brain, get it all out onto paper. Just the act of acknowledging the thoughts seem to help them back off the pressure. You can remember them, organize and evaluate them now that they're in black and white. And you have mental space cleared out for dealing with life. Do The Next Right Thing The reality of my Thursdays is that they're my least stressful day. My most stressful days all happen Sunday -Wednesday, so Thursdays are usually a relief. But today, I had a handful of things that all had to happen in a three hour time span and the last minute clean up threw me into overwhelm. I needed to narrow my focus and just deal with the next right thing. Multi-tasking, no matter how good you think you are at it, isn't effective. I needed to do one thing, then move on to the next thing and only deal with the one that's next most important. Do Something, Anything Progress always reduces overwhelm. It feeds momentum which then helps you make progress and in the way of cyclical things...it spirals in a beneficial way. So, the key to this first aid tactic is choosing something small. Choosing something small allows you to gain that momentum foothold faster. It doesn't really have to be related to what you're feeling overwhelmed about. You need an action starting point that will move you out of paralysis. For me, this morning, that was two quick texts to people I needed to get in touch with. Use Tunes Music is a mood manipulator. One of the things that really had to get done today was this podcast. But, I was having trouble focusing, getting started and staying calm enough to deal with it. One thing that helps me focus when I write is using white noise. So, on went the headphones. I had an immediate physical response when I heard the wave and rain sounds. It's as if my whole body breathed a sigh of relief as the repetitive, calming noises washed over me. You can use music to boost your energy, relax, or help you focus. If you're on Spotify, you can find a few playlists I use to manipulate my mood and energy at michelleberkey: a few zen chill lists, with and without lyrics, happy happy mood and stronger are a few you'll find there. Radically Slash Your To-Do List If your overwhelm is schedule related, slash your to-do list short term. Consider what would get done if you were bedridden-sick for the next week. Do only that. For me this morning, I wanted to re-do an art piece I wasn't happy with yesterday. That was squarely on the nice-but-not-necessary list. When I started to get overwhelmed, that got taken off the table for today. Doing my laundry, some follow up emails, and some work and ministry things that I need to get done (but not immediately) also got removed from my schedule for now. In review, the five first aid tactics I used today were Brain Dump, the Next Right Thing, Do Something, Use Tunes, and Radically Slash Your List. These five suggestions won't get to the bottom of your overwhelm. They're intended to be first aid for the acute paralysis that can occur. Put them in your pocket and pull them out when needed. Action Steps Because inspiration and education are great, but they only result in transformation when you add action - and that's your job - here are a few action steps you can take today. Good: Digitally, file this information away where you can get to it easily when you need it. File the email, bookmark the post or favourite the podcast episode. Better: Make yourself an index card of these five tactics. Write them in your planner or a journal. Physically writing them down will help solidify them in your mind and will give you something physical to pull out when needed. I made myself a flip book of all my tactics that I could drop in my bag or keep in my desk or car. I haven't needed it for a long time (that's an indication of growth right there), but I pulled it out this morning. Best: Begin to work on the underlying root cause of your overwhelm so you don't have to deal with the acute paralysis. _________ Want episodes delivered to your inbox each Monday morning? Click here to subscribe!

Today (5/2/127) I had the pleasure of hosting a quartet of kids from Laguna Beach High School and Thurston Middle School – they were in-studio to talk about raising funds to travel to Knoxville, TN at the end of this month for the Global Finals of Destination Imagination – a team-based activity where they solve challenges […]

There are two seasons in Middle Tennessee. There's sports season, which means college football and Predator Hockey. And there's "sweating season." Occasionally, the two overlap, when the Preds are in the playoffs (like they are right now) and at the start of football season. Sweating season is full on when the moment you step out the door, you're drenched in sweat. I wish it was glistening season, but it's really not. It's sweat. You just get used to it, but it means that most of the time the air is so thick that you feel more like you're swimming instead of walking. And it also means that the local businesses set the air conditioning around 40 degrees so that you think the Preds might still be playing. We're all familiar with seasons. Aside from the weather and sports seasons, there are seasons of life, television show seasons, and the Holiday season. A season is a time characterized by a particular circumstance or feature. Your life is going to go through many seasons. A new season for you could be external like a new job, a new place to live, an injury or a child's growth milestone. When they learn to walk...or talk...or drive...these are new seasons. But a season can be internal as well. A new mindset, mental health conditions, grief. A season could be relational, a death or divorce, a new relationship, a friend moving away or taking care of an aging parent. I know I've mentioned this before, but the time between Spring Break and the end of the school year is a crazy busy season for me and with my involvement in Destination Imagination, that seems to have extended the crazy season. It now runs from February through May. While I've been slammed, other than getting the flu, I've not been completely depleted. I have just about three weeks left to go in this busy season. When I've mentioned this season before, I've talked about some of my coping mechanisms for busy times. They've worked for the most part, as I'm not feeling quite at the end of my rope. Some of those things I've done do to help me get through is to not take on new work projects. I actually put all new work initiatives on hold until mid-May. I avoid making commitments in March and April as much as possible. This year, I've backed off of social media. While I'm feeling some guilt around that - related to those ugly "shoulds" I toss around in my head, it's been so helpful. Sure, I'm not gaining podcast listeners or Instagram followers as fast. But, I'm staying sane. That's a big plus. Here are a few other things I've been reminded about while I'm in the middle of this season. What I Know About Seasons Whatever season you're in, do what that season requires. Farmers do different work in different seasons. I'm not looking at new work projects, growth initiatives or home improvement projects that have a deadline in these months. We're re-vamping the garden into a vegetable-zen garden, but that's a whole different story and other than getting plants in the ground this weekend, it doesn't really have a deadline. Whatever season you're in, there will be appropriate work to do. Some seasons that work is simply to rest. I spent much of the last 6 months in recovery of some sort physically. I've had a series of weird accidents and the flu and I'm just now getting back to normal strength and activity levels. But while my shoulder and then my back and then my hip was healing, it was my job to rest and recover. If you're in a season that requires rest, do that. There will be time for work later. I know from experience that the week after school's out, I'm often worthless. Typically, I'm exhausted from months of crazy, my son leaves for nine weeks which is depressing and I need to recharge. I'm not sure what early summer will bring this year, but I'm aware that I may need to crash that week. I usually feel like I need to take advantage of the summer freedom and get immediately to work on projects I've been putting off...but I need to be ok with a week of recovery. There are different things required in different seasons. Whatever season you're in right now, do the work that season requires. Learn from the season you're in. What you're experiencing right now, whether good or bad, difficult or easy; it has valuable lessons to teach you. I'm learning about parenting a pre-teen. I've been reminded how much exercise and good food allow me to feel good and be at my best. I'm learning that I need to not make major decisions in seasons like this one, when I'm tired and stressed. I'm learning to give myself grace for not being perfect. I'm learning to live in the now. And I'm learning to measure my success by my soul life and not by my production level. What lessons does this season have for you? Your season may be different than your neighbors, co-workers, family members, business associates and friends. Even if you have kids the same age, are running the same type of business or starting a healthy living initiative at the same time...your season is yours and while the circumstances may look similar to someone else's, it may be substantially different on the inside. What this means is that you need to carefully evaluate the things you or others say or assume that you should be doing. Make sure they line up with your values, your priorities and your goals before you adopt them as your own. In short, let everyone else do their things. You do you. Episode Artwork And lastly as shown in the artwork, seasons change. Do the work that each season requires, learn from the season you're in and you do you in the midst of your experiences. But, know that seasons come and go. Let that offer hope if you're in a difficult season. Let it give you a deep appreciation if you're in a season of joy and let it remind you to prepare for the next season. Episode Downloads Want to process the ideas in this podcast further? Download the Coffee Talk Worksheet or put this week's art on your phone:  Episode 30 Downloads

My son, Cody, and I went on our very first official Boy Scout camping trip last weekend. After waffling for a few months, he decided early this year that he wants to become an Eagle Scout, so it's onward from Cub Scouts for us. This is a whole new ballgame and I think it's going to be really good for him. I got to make a big deal of getting him his first very own solo tent (a rite of passage in our family) and the boys planned, cooked and cleaned up all their meals, fished, hiked, learned how to swing an ax and generally had a great time. And for me, it was really, really good to get 48 hours outdoors, even with the chaos of 20 some boys around. While I loved getting the outdoors time and it was fun to hike, cook with the adults and watch my son wield a very sharp implement over his head, I think what really strikes me most about the weekend is the extraordinary effort of volunteer leadership. I watched two men pour time, energy, effort, care and patience into my son and the other boys all weekend. Their own sons were there, but they were generally taking time away from their families to instill skills, values and offer experiences to my son that he probably would not have otherwise. In the group of 8 boys that just came into the troop, there are a few challenging kids and while the scoutmasters require explicit standards of behavior, attention and safety, they were also remarkably patient, kind and encouraging to the new boys. Days later, I'm still awed by their care and effort on behalf of my son and the others. They meet with the scouts three Mondays a month and with an oversight committee on the fourth Monday. They camp one weekend a month as a troop, do a week of summer camp with the kids and have other events and trips throughout the year. That's a lot of time invested. And I believe that it's one of the most important things you can do with your time. I talked a lot about my Destination Imagination coaching experience over the last month or so. I've poured a ton of time into those seven kids since last Christmas, and it's one of the most valuable things I've done this year. Certainly not the easiest or least frustrating, but definitely one of the most valuable. When I think back over the first quarter of this year and how I've spent my time (see that? That's part of the personal review I said I'd do! Look at me actually doing my goals! Yay me!), the most valuable hours have been spent contributing to the lives of other people. My family, the DI team, volunteering at my church and my local food bank. A lot of other things have been fun and worthwhile, but the time spent investing in other people, that's the time that really means something. Those are the moments that make a lasting difference, because people are an eternal investment. [Tweet "People are an eternal investment."] How much do you invest in people? In your family? Family is a tricky one because our families automatically take up a lot of our time. But are you really present? Are you intentional? Do you invest time in friends? Strangers? Community members? Neighbors? Children? There are countless options to be investing in others...Boy Scouts and DI teams are two of thousands of ways. And It doesn't need to be that emotionally or time intensive either. What does it look like for you? When we talk about people, there are no investments too small. There's an anonymous quote that says, "Never get tired of doing little things for others. Sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts." I remember being a young stepmom in the 1990's. My husband's 7 year old and 12 year old boys moved in with us on my 25th birthday. These were not easy kids. There were a lot of tough situations. I remember saying often that I skipped the easy stuff like diapers and sleepless nights and went straight to puberty and sleepless nights! There was one Mother's Day that was particularly difficult. No one in the family wished me Happy Mother's Day. Despite wishing their Grandmother and their mom a good holiday in front of me, I got not a bit of recognition all day long. That was hurtful, but I was also really grieved that they weren't experiencing and expressing gratitude. They lived with me. I was their functional mom for most of the time. As the day went on, I got more upset. At some point in the late afternoon I sat down and really thought about why I was angry. When I processed it, I realized that my motivations were way off. It really didn't matter if they recognized my efforts. I didn't need the recognition. I was pouring into them because it was the right thing to do, because I cared for them and because it was a service I was meant to perform. I wasn't doing it for a pat on the back. Yes, they absolutely should have said thank you. But, my attitude was and is completely independent of their response. That realization was a big deal for me, it shifted my serving them from being a trade to being a gift. [Tweet "Serving others is a gift, not a trade."] Erin Davis, from the Lies Young Women Believe blog says service is finding practical ways to show other people they matter. It's like saying, “Hey! You're important, and I want to prove it to you.” But, she also says this: That's something that sounds great in theory, but isn't always so appealing in real time. True service requires sacrifice. We must sacrifice our abilities for the good of others, not just ourselves. We must sacrifice our talents to invest in others, not just to make ourselves look good. We must sacrifice our time, something that is always in short supply. And here's the kicker: to truly serve...we must do it with zero promise of a personal pay off. There's no guarantee that the people we serve will return the favor or even notice our efforts. We are called to serve others anyway. Episode Artwork The cover art this week is about intersecting relationships, about taking our patchwork hearts and interacting with others in associations of all kinds. Some connections are glancing and some deep, but no matter how deep the connections go, serving others and being in relationship changes us as much as it affects those we give to. Henry Drummond said, "I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." What if you invest in people? How would your life be different? In an article about volunteering on Huffington Post, Kathy Gottberg says, "it is practically impossible to create a happy, meaningful and rewarding life without being of service to others in some way." Episode Downloads Coffee Talk Worksheet and iPhone lock screen

A week ago today, my Destination Imagination team was finding out their fate. Would they progress to the state competition or not? DI is a worldwide organization for students in all grades, elementary through college. Teams of kids choose one of seven challenges and prepare and present a student-led solution. The week leading up to the competition, my team fell apart. There are two parts to every DI competition. The main challenge I mentioned before and an instant challenge where they walk into a room and have to act something, build something or a combination of the two. They don't know the challenge beforehand, they're under a time limit and they usually have about 5 minutes to prepare. They're judged on teamwork as well as results. My kids have no middle ground with instant challenges, they seem to either nail it or go down in flames. The week before competition, I wouldn't even let them perform their planned solution because they'd been so busy fighting during prep time. But, last Saturday, they nailed it and they knew it. They came out of instant challenge flying high. They then performed their prepared solution to the main challenge and while it wasn't perfect, the audience laughed in the right spots, the gadget my son had worked on late the night before actually worked and they were pretty pleased with themselves. So, we found ourselves sitting among the assembled teams thinking that we did actually have a shot. But. We didn't make the cut. We're not going to state. And my kids were all sorts of disappointed. This was the third year in a row that their team came in fourth. The top three teams advance. They had specifically chosen the evening before to focus on having fun more than winning at all costs and we did have fun. But, we all wanted to go on too. My son particularly was crushed. It's really hard to watch their disappointment. It's hard to feel disappointment. It's something we all deal with. I believe that we generally don't do a good job of teaching our kids how to handle emotions, so here's one more lesson for my team that I'll share with you as well. How to Deal With Disappointment First, learn to lean in to the feelings that come your way. All of them. We're so very quick to try to get rid of feelings we don't like, the ones that hurt, but experiencing them helps us progress through them. It's very easy for me to want my son to get over his disappointment, because it hurts me to see him hurting. But, if I tell him right away all the reasons he shouldn't be disappointed, I trivialize his pain. Instead I just chose to hug him and agree. Second, after the feelings have run their course, you can add some perspective. In this case, I'll tell my kids two things. First, we live in the most difficult county to progress from. The competition here in our regional is often more difficult than that at the state level. And they're consistently at the top. They're global material (which is the level after state), but they need to not give up. Also, I'll remind them that three days before, they couldn't get through the planning part of an instant challenge. And they were right, they nailed it on Saturday. As a matter of fact, they took first place in that portion of the competition. Two days before competition, after watching them perform, parents didn't understand the story line of their performance at all. And in one day, they reworked it enough to merit a fourth place standing. That's pretty amazing. But, this perspective is only really meaningful and helpful after the emotions have run their course. Too often, we introduce this perspective too soon. The third step is accept and reset. One of the lines in their show was, "Ok, well, that just happened, I guess I'll get back to studying cancer." There comes a moment, when accepting the disappointment and moving on becomes necessary. Lastly, they reach a point where they can learn from it. Next season we'll spend some time talking about the decisions they made that created problems for them this year. Hopefully, they'll make different choices next time. I hope so anyway, because the last few weeks were crazy stressful. There are four steps to dealing with disappointment in a healthy way: Experience it. Gain perspective. Accept and reset. Learn from it. The team chooses their name each year and this group has always used "Phoenix" as part of that name. At this point, I find the phoenix a worthy symbol for them as a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. They'll try again. And even if they never move above regional level, they've gained so very much and I am so very proud of them. Episode Downloads Coffee Talk Worksheet and iPhone Lock Screen:  Daily questions to apply the above article to your own life and the episode artwork as a phone lock screen.

What if you're part of a team? If you aren't on a team in your work or community, you are probably part of a family group of friends. And when you interact with people for any length of time, you run into problems. People problems. I mentioned on last week's episode that my son and I are in the throes of crunch time for the Destination Imagination competition coming up on Saturday. DI is a worldwide organization for students in all grades, elementary through college. Teams of kids choose one of seven challenges and prepare and present a solution on which they are then scored. It would be awesome if they can get through this competition and get to the next level. But, the things they learn in the process are more important than the competition. Right now, as I write this, I don't know if they're going to bomb or excel on Saturday, I really don't. Their team is in disarray. We have both people problems and presentation problems. And I have a choice to make. We need practice time. They have problems to resolve to get to a point where their story and solution works. Then we need one more week to polish it. But, we don't have one more week. We need to crank through their presentation sketch as many times as we can today. Bigger Things Than Competition But, there are bigger things at stake. There are life lessons that they need to learn because of the issues the team is experiencing. I can choose to focus on the goal - the competition - and ignore the lessons we really don't have time for. Or, I can choose to focus on the life lessons. There's no real choice. People are the most important thing. My team and what benefits their life in the long run is more important than the actual competition. I need to spend some time talking through some stories with them today. And it will take away from our practice time. But, these lessons that they learn, these experiences they have. These are the things that will live with them for life once the competition is long past. These are the reasons we do DI. I'm going to just record what I want to tell them today. Listen in and know that something I say to them might be meaningful to you too. Message To My Team I have three things to tell you today. First. You are amazing people. Every single one of you is valuable. Each of you has an important part to play on this team and the solution that you ALL came up with is better than any that one of you could come up with. Most of my life, I've spent thinking subconsciously that I could do it better on my own. Whatever "it" might be at the moment. But, that's just not true. My definition of "better" has had to be re-calibrated. We each have our own perspectives and experiences and the more those different perspectives are included in a solution, the more interesting and unique it will be. One of the key things about creativity is that it is the connecting of ideas in a way that's unusual, new, interesting or different. If you want to expand your creativity, the fastest way to do so is to be in a diverse group of people or ideas.The reason I'm bringing it up today is that if you have moments that you believe you are not an important part of the team. And I've heard that out of at least one of your mouths this week. I'm telling you, you are. Each one of you has contributed in unique ways. Each one of you is supposed to be here. And each of you are inherently valuable. On the flip side, you need to realize that each of the others is also inherently valuable. Each of you have different strengths, all of which are needed. So that moment when you're frustrated or think that your way or idea is better. Step back for a moment and remember that you can't do this alone. You need the others. And if you're thinking right now that so-and-so other person needs to hear this...then I'm especially talking to you. If you're each committed to respecting yourself, your own worth and the worth of the others on your team, you'll communicate and talk in a way that builds team dynamic and doesn't tear it down. This season right now, you'll be tired and easily frustrated. That's ok. We all are. Use that as an opportunity to build each other up. You can do that. I've seen it. I watched you as a team give grace and kindness last year at this very time when I didn't have any left. All of you have a remarkable well of kindness if you choose to dip into it. Which leads me to point number two. People are more important than product. When I was in middle school, one of my teachers divided the class into groups of four or five and gave the groups a task. With a time limit. And a competitive factor. It was something like answer as many of these questions as possible in a certain amount of time. And then he said "Go" and off we went. When we finished. my team had won. And then, my teacher told us that the real assignment was not about the task. It was about group dynamics. And because we'd won, he asked my teammates and I questions about the experience. And they said that while we might have won, I took over the team, I bossed them around. It wasn't fun and they didn't like me much at that point. I was devastated. If I had known the task was really about interpersonal dynamics, I would have focused on that. My natural inclination was to pursue a task - especially a competitive one - at the expense of everything and everyone else. That probably wasn't the best way for me to learn that lesson, because I spent the next 20 years hiding that natural leadership because of the public betrayal I experienced at a very vulnerable age. But. I tell you this story so you'll understand that in most cases. Pursuing the goal is less important than how you get there. If you're leading a climbing group and someone panics and freezes on a ledge and the safety of the group is at stake and you need to take control, do so. Safety is more important in that moment. And there may be other moments in business and life where you need to make that choice. I want you to understand that those choices make a difference. How you treat each other on the way to a goal has eternal significance, because each of you are the most valuable things in the room. When you have a decision to make about how you respond to someone, always remember that people are the most important thing. Cody and I have it posted in our kitchen on our family values statement. That means that relationships are more important than being right, being chosen, being recognized, getting a laugh or being in charge. I am not saying that you should never assert yourself. I am saying, that as you go through life and through this DI experience, you need to understand that people are the important things. My third point is that you're all like thoroughbred race horses. High energy and ready to run and with your own desire to be first...and that is a wonderful, fantastic thing. But, there are going to be a lot of times in your life when you racehorses need to be harnessed together to pull a wagon. When you need to function in a group. If horses are hooked together and each horse is pulling off their own direction, not only will the wagon not get where it wants to go, it's going to probably crash and people and horses will get hurt. When you're on a team, you need to function as a team and put the needs of the team over your own. This isn't an easy lesson. This is something adults struggle with. If you're working toward a common goal, then you need a team perspective. It's better for the team to use ideas from everyone. So, if you get angry if your idea isn't chosen. If you pout when your idea isn't listened to. If you get frustrated and stop the progress of the group, at some point your perspective shifted to be about yourself. And you need to shift it back away from you. Figure out a way to be engaged but able to think about your behavior at the same time. This is as much about learning to be a part of a community than anything else. There is no community without self-sacrifice, vulnerability and serving other people. You have the privilege of being on this team with these other amazing people. You've worked really hard and I'm proud of you. You've had fun and you have had days where you were frustrated and angry. All this is life. It's an incredible journey. These people who have walked through it with you, they're your people. They're your team. You've been through a lot in the last few years and I'm sure that if you choose to do it it again, you'll go through more, learn more, grow more. But no matter what happens. Look at each other as respect and accomplishment. Three Key Points I've told you three things today: You are a valuable member of this team, and so is everyone else. People are more important than the goal. Act like a team...put the needs of the team above your own personal agenda. If you're listening to the podcast and not on my team. You need to understand too. You are inherently valuable and so is everyone around you. Treat yourself and others that way. People are more important than your schedule, your to do list, your project or your agenda. You may not be on a DI team, but you're likely in a family, social or work group. If so, know that community is of supreme value and while our culture rewards self-reliance, community is an inborn need of our hearts. There is no real community without self-sacrifice, vulnerability and serving others. Be aware, I'm talking to some high achieving kids today, so this advice is for them. While some things might apply to everyone, like people are the most important thing, other things I've said may not apply to you. Like putting group needs first. That taken to an extreme is a problem too. So, your mileage may vary, but I do want you to see your own thoughts and actions and other people today through the lens of knowing that each of you is of immeasurable value. Episode Artwork The art this week is symbolic of the seven kids on my DI team, and also of you. Each of us are gemstones. Each is multi-faceted. You are beautiful and valuable. Having all the different stones in different colors, which reflect light differently, this makes our world more beautiful and interesting than if we were all the same. This is pretty obvious. But, our actions often don't reflect that belief. Remember when you look at the people in your world, ALL of the people in your world. They're all gems. We'll have a pizza party wrap up when the season's over with our team. Our version of an awards banquet. We'll present the sketch to teachers or anyone interested in seeing it one more time and we'll make a fuss over the kids and celebrate the year. I'll present the kids with the certificate from DI, a collectors pin from their challenge this year. I'm going to bring this original in and ask them what they see in it and how it applies to them. And will give them a print as well. Episode Downloads Coffee Talk Worksheet and iPhone Lock Screen

I'm going to do something a little different today. Usually, I talk about a question after I've processed it a bit. Have some thoughts, tips or wisdom to share. I'm not sure that's the case today. I'm right in the middle of this one, so maybe I'll let you in on the messy middle part of my thinking process this week. Have you ever found yourself looking down the barrel of a week, a month or a season that seems so jam packed you're not sure how you're going to get through it? I'm the queen of SAYING I want to be less busy and then taking on one more thing. And then squeezing in just one more. I'm in the middle of the first week of what will probably be the busiest two weeks in my year. At least I hope so. I don't want to repeat this. We have one or more things that take up every evening. We have a full weekend coming up. And it tops off with the Destination Imagination team competition a week from Saturday. Which gives me a heart attack just to write, because I'm the coach of the best 5th graders in the world. Who totally aren't ready for competition. I swore I wasn't going to live this way any more. And yet after I took on the DI coaching (which I said I absolutely wouldn't do), I added at least two other weekly commitments. Now, I was expecting this last few weeks of crazy before competition. And it won't last forever. I just have to get through another week and a half. But, still. This isn't the pace and the anxiety level I want in life. I want space. Breathing room. Time to think. Time to play. And nap. And walk. I want to feel how I feel at the side of the ocean. Freedom, expansion, simplicity, sustainable rhythms. I will say, I'm better than I used to be. I used to run at top speed for months with a single day break here and there. It hasn't happened in a while and I'm looking at a two week run this time and I'm freaking out. Actually, it probably would be a lot less stressful if there wasn't a competition at the end of it that my kids are in danger of bombing and I have less control over it than most things. I could probably be handling the schedule, the last minute surprises from my Ex, the laptop crashes and the DSL going down better...without the competition coming up. I was going to start examining my perfectionism this week and I just can't. There's no mental space left. But, I have a sneaking suspicion this is related. I think that the stress I'm feeling has as much to do with my perfectionism - my own expectations of my coaching and feeling like I'm failing miserably - when I believe...I KNOW...that the most important part of the DI process is the months of slogging through the messy part of group creativity, of learning teamwork, of life lessons in the process rather than the actual competition. Sure, it would be great to move on to the state level, but frankly, that's just icing on the cake. And that's coming from a very competitive person. For those of you unfamiliar with Destination Imagination, it's a worldwide student competition. Teams of up to seven students choose one of several challenges to complete and then they present their solution to a panel of appraisers. The challenges all involve creative problem solving in different areas from Fine Arts to Community Service and Scientific to Technical. It has to be a student led solution. The ideas, work and effort needs to be all from the students. I'm there to assist and coach through the process. It's a fantastic program. For some reason, it feels like I have less control over the outcome than I do when I've coached athletics. I'm not sure that's true, though. I do know they're not prepared. I know that may resolve quickly in the next four or five days though. I know they're closer than it seems. But, I feel like I'm failing. And that's not the case. Intellectually, I understand that's not true...but why am I feeling far more responsibility and stress than the situation calls for? Especially since it's their project. It's really not mine. I suspect the answer is perfectionism. Coping With Busy Seasons So, where does that leave me? Right now, I have to ride out the next week and a half. By the time you read this, I'll have a week left. While the crazy is going on, I'm reducing my expectations. This episode may not be edited. The art may be different. My house is a wreck. There's debris from failed attempts at building a Russian decoder hat scattered everywhere and let me tell you something. If the fabric cutting woman says, "Be aware, this sheds a lot," pay attention. There may or may not be fake fur bits in every nook and cranny of my kitchen and dining room. I wouldn't be surprised to find it in the salt shaker. I'm pretty sure I just found some in my tea. And, it's going to stay that way. Even though my team and their parents are going to see the disaster. It's going to have to be ok. Time with the kids is more important. But, while I know that's the right decision to make, it still bothers me. It bothers me more  to be living in the mess than the fact that others will see it. But, if it's extraneous this week. It's just not getting done. What other coping mechanisms am I using? I'm making a point to not miss my workouts. I've been out for a few months with a back injury and this is my first full week back without pain. It would be really easy to put off starting back up until after these two weeks are through. But, workouts help me get through the tough stuff. The endorphins, the emotional benefits and the control over progress...I need that to counterbalance the crazy and help me handle the stress level. I would say I'm eating well too, but that would be a lie. I should be eating well. Even my bad habits aren't all that bad with food, but I really shouldn't be using chocolate as a coping mechanism. And I totally am. Hence the even more critical nature of the workouts. I'm also getting to bed as early as I can and sleeping as well as I can. Last night I was up for three hours in the middle of the night though, brain running on overdrive. Thankfuly, that's been the exception rather than the rule. I'm also giving myself an escape hatch. I know that one of the ways I deal with too much stress is to obsess over small things that really don't matter. I needed an out one evening and spent several hours when I could have been working or cleaning or sleeping shopping for tents online. It's something I need to do in the next month. I didn't need to do it right that minute. But, it was a pressure valve release and I needed it, so I gave myself permission to shop. Giving myself permission to buy is a whole 'nother episode. There are a few other things I do also, like specific time with my son, prayer, meditation...things that help me deal with life, or are of critical importance in life get made time for. All the rest gets put off. But, what happens when the two weeks are over? Well, I'm a bit worried about how I'm going to handle all the things I'm putting off; but I'll just deal with that when the time comes. What I'm really concerned about is how to keep from getting in this fix again. Maybe it's somewhat inevitable. Usually the end of the school year is like this for me because there's so many extra things that happen. Plus, this is the time of year I'm least able to handle it because it's allergy season. But, ideally, I need enough margin in life that when the extras come along there's room for them without tipping me into insanity levels of busy-ness. I have one of my quarterly weekend personal reviews coming up at the end of the month (I talked about those in episode 13) and I think I need to add this to the agenda. I need to review my schedule and see what can be cut away. I need to make some decisions on what saying "yes" requires to get into my world. Even this week in the midst of the crazy...I know I would say yes to DI again...it's that good for the kids and worth the pain of these two weeks...but, I can't do that with too many things. What kinds of things will make the cut? How do I decide? I need to figure that out. How can this mess of mine be helpful for you? Well, if you struggle with the busy monster - and there's more people that do in our culture than don't. If you do, know that you're not alone. It can be a really tough one to tame. Borrow some coping mechanisms from me. If you're in an acute season like I am right now, cut loose non-critical expectations - performance expectations, time expectations, relationship expectations. Give yourself as much room as possible. Give yourself as much physical margin as you can also. Eat well, exercise (and if that's not a habit of yours, even walking will help), get good sleep, know and recognize your stress reactions before you explode and allow yourself healthy ways to release the pressure. If you're in a season that's a longer term at a too-busy level and you don't want to live that way. Take some time apart from everyday. Schedule it in now and make some decisions about how you can reduce the load? Episode Artwork The art this week is about making time to play. It's about expansiveness and the sea. It's a reminder to me about where I want to be. It's about taking time to experiment with new things and being ok when they aren't perfect. I know that my perfectionism is hurting me this week. Not only am I trying to deal with it on my own. But, I'm trying to hide it from the kids. They don't need this burden. It's not healthy. I'm all about high achievement and working hard. But, this goes beyond that. We'll talk more about that in the weeks to come. Episode Downloads Coffee Talk worksheet and iPhone Lock Screen

I live on what most people jokingly refer to as. "the compound." It's 65 acres in the rolling hills of the Middle TN countryside and is divided up between my family members and a close friend. My son is growing up next door to half of his cousins and in the same home as his grandparents. When people find this out about us, they generally have one of two reactions. Either they gush about how great that would be, or they recoil in horror and tell me they could never ever, ever, EVER live that close to their family. EVER. There's rarely any middle ground. Being close can exacerbate any issues in relationships. The holidays tend to bring out those issues as well for much the same reasons. Depending how your family relationships are, you'll might be dreading the time spent in close quarters over the holidays. Even if your relationships are healthy, extended time together can strain anyone's patience. Let's talk about three ways to ease some of the relational stress and bring peace into your relationships this season. Basically these all fall under the category of. "Yes, it's possible to be an adult and choose your actions and attitudes intentionally." Choosing Peace Choose your own peace. You can't control anyone else. I can't make your crazy relative say any fewer hurtful things. And neither can you. The only thing you can control is your own response. Choose peace. Choose to ignore the subtle manipulating, the not so subtle jabs and the outright hostility. Choose to respond in gentle, quiet peace. Choose to give the benefit of the doubt. Choose to walk away if necessary. An Extra Measure of Grace Give yourself (and others) an extra measure of grace. I made a remark the other day in a chat conversation about needing to be more organized about getting my giveaway prints shipped, because I'm crazy far behind. And the gal I was talking to made a sympathetic remark about single working mothers always needing more organization. It stopped me in my tracks. I'm a single mom. Running a business full time. And running a second one on the side. And producing a weekly podcast and artwork. And coaching my son's Destination Imagination team, running him to piano, art class and scouts and a thousand other things. I tend to forget that. No wonder I don't have time to keep up with all the details, like getting the laundry from the basket into the dresser drawers. And I was able to give myself some grace about those details. In this season especially, there's added stress in everyone's life. Toss grace around like confetti. And remember to let it fall on yourself as well as others. Enjoy Now The people you'll be seeing...focus on enjoying their company now instead of reliving past encounters, old hurts, previous conversations or your own need for something. What if you simply looked past that this season and enjoyed what you can of the present moments. Be aware, I'm not suggesting you be a doormat, that you suffer abuse or that you ignore your own needs. If you're in that kind of situation, you need more assistance than this article can provide and I strongly suggest getting it. I'm talking about putting peace in the midst of garden variety problems and those caused by the stresses of the season. And letting that peace simmer between you and all of your relationships. Episode Artwork This week's artwork is a Christmas star. It stands in the center between a background of green on one side and blue on the other. The green and blue represent you and the people you're in relationship with. The star is the peace we need to place in the midst of those relationships. The star is imperfect, it's uneven, it's messy. And it's flawed. Relationships are like that too. But, when lit with the glow of peace, they can shine with beauty despite their imperfections. They're unique and special because of those imperfections. What if there was peace in your relationships this season? I wish that for you in the coming days. Episode Downloads Coffee Talk Worksheet & iPhone Lock Screen

In this episode I chat to the Affiliate Director for Qatar, Renee Rainville about her experience with Destination Imagination and the upcoming Invitational Tournament.