Dr. Linda’s Blog – Page 5

Why We Should Talk about Controversial Issues

March 19, 2018

A lot of people avoid talking about controversial issues due to fear or discomfort. As an academic, I have a hard time wrapping my head around being afraid to talk to someone because we might disagree on a matter. You see, discussing issues that are seen as controversial is a large part of how I make my living. I get paid to read, write, think, and talk about issues related to race, class, gender, sexuality, and religion. To me, talking about such issues is a normal, natural, and important thing to do. I enjoy it. So I am baffled when,

Wall balls, Wusses, and Winning

March 15, 2018

If I’ve been choosing comfort over growth and development at the Crossfit box, chances are I’m doing the same thing elsewhere in my life. I imagine we all do that from time to time in realms that invite us to challenge ourselves.

Cussing in the South: What Outsiders Need to Know

March 11, 2018

I have a bit of a potty mouth. I swear. Where I live, it’s called cussing. I found out the hard way that the cultural codes of cussing are written in stone, or might as well be. Unfortunately, no one thinks to tell a “foreigner” the rules of cussing when they move to the South. They let us figure it out on our own. I suspect watching us stumble around trying to learn the rulesof the game is considered sport. Understand that Magnolia, AR is on the buckle of the bible belt. Whereas maybe just a few students in a

Why Did the Canadian Move to Magnolia, AR?

March 11, 2018

“How did a Canadian end up moving to Magnolia, Arkansas?” I am asked that question at least a couple of times a week even though I have been here 15 years. I’m often amused by people’s reactions when they find out I’m Canadian. For example, there was the time an acquaintance introduced me to her elderly mother: “Mama, this is Linda. She’s from Canada.” Mama’s eyes grew very wide and she exclaimed, “Oh my! A real, live foreigner!” On another occasion, a friend introduced me to someone she knew. “This is Linda. She’s Canadian.” That information generated a squeal followed

Why Being Organized Counts As Self-Care

March 8, 2018

I have always found being organized and decluttering forms of self-care. This is not true for everyone. I remember vividly the day I discovered that some people do not fold their underwear before putting them away. I was in the second grade. I was enjoying a play date at Colleen’s house. We were happily engaged in some activity or other in her bedroom, when I noticed the open dresser drawer. To my horror, it was overflowing with what seemed like hundreds of pairs of “panties.” (At my house we just called them underwear.) Colleen’s “panties” were thrown pell-mell into the

Can’t Move On After a Trauma? Then Step to the Side!

March 6, 2018

Several years ago a very traumatic event dropped me to my knees. didn’t think I’d ever be able to move forward. “I just don’t know how to go forward,” I said to my good friend Erica. (Yes, the same Erica from my last blog post about not settling for a life you don’t love!) “I just don’t know how to move on” I explained. “So don’t” she replied. “Just step to the side.” Step to the side? Really? That wasn’t an option I’d even considered. No one “steps to the side” in a crisis. Isn’t that against the rules? You