Higher Education & Trigger Warnings

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Yesterday (for me, but a week and a bit later as you read), I was part of a very interesting FB conversation. It started with a question from Creston Davis, professor and co-founder of  the Graduate School my son is affiliated with. Which by the way, is a seriously kickass school that is breaking paradigms left and right. I had the chance to meet both founders earlier this year and I am thoroughly impressed with what they’re doing.  Also, serendipity at its best. They are based in Grand Rapids, MI which is only 1.5 hrs from Lansingland and Dandelion Soup. Um, Squirrel….. Ah yes, the question:

Are the so-called “Trigger Warnings” yet another way to censor professors? Could they be considered the equivalent of cultural censorship controlled by a privileged demographic only looking to received a non-challenging education? What say you?

Mental Health Awareness Month

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Two weeks ago, my fiance – it still gives me the giggling butterflies… fiance… fiance… more giggling butterflies…

Anyway, Dandelion Soup dude and I went to a book store on a Sunday afternoon cause nothing makes us happier than books, being the big Library Mice* we both are and all.

Way too soon, we heard the closing announcement on the PA and on our way out the store, we stumbled upon this table:

Public Service Announcement

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I am going out on a limb here and I hope that the powers that be (a.k.a. Ruby) are ok with it.

The thing is, we’re a family, right? So, I figured that I should keep my Canvas family* on the know.

I’ve been Team Canvas for… what, two years now.  And then there is this other Canvas dude, who joined our lovely family just a couple of months ago. He’s been a bit quiet around here but he has his reasons**.

The funny thing is dude and I…

Wait for it….

It was the best of times and it was the worst of times

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Well, hello there.

I have been very absent from Canvas in the last few months.

For those who don’t follow my blog or never quite made it there in a while, here’s the skinny. I was an inpatient at a mental health unit for three weeks in September/October 2013. From there, I was referred to a four-week Day Hospital program that kept me quite busy.

What I don’t like about me

I have two drafts posts here on Canvas [okay, I actually have more than two but those two are… particularly difficult]. I’ve been meaning to finish them for a while. I started one back in May and the other one a bit more than a month ago. I tried again just now. Read the first one, couldn’t bring myself to write anything. Closed that tab, went to the other, felt myself being triggered again. Closed that tab too.

Sigh…

So, I’m going to write about something that has been bothering me for a while instead.

It comes out of nowhere

Sigh.

Here we are again.

Remember this: I’m NOT flaky?. Written almost a year ago.

Nothing has changed. But I found myself feeling the bite this week more than usual.

The reason, a series of non-related FB statuses.

As the earth turns

This year has been… interesting. That’s the understatement of the decade.

See, the problem is that I am a person that feels deeply. There are many terms for the kind of person I am, depending on the field. You know, burden bearer, empath, things like that.

I am a scientist. Okay, was a scientist. But my mind still thinks like one. So, as some of you know, I am not given to esoteric, mumbo- jumbo explanations. If anything, I am an skeptic of sorts. But the fact is that I – indeed, feel deeply, even beyond what one would consider normal.

Oy With The Poodles Already*

I find myself absolutely and completely demotivated as of yesterday. In one of my worse hermit modes too. Don’t want to see people, don’t want to talk to anyone, don’t want to shower and get dressed, don’t want to leave my cave.

Such a stark contrast with the day before yesterday (and the previous two weeks). And while this time around the reason is a no brainer, I have had to deal with this annoying mood switching all my life.

It would seem like I only have to modes, super excited or super indifferent/hermit.