I am a bit overwhelmed with the opening this year. I have a lot more moving parts than in years past.
Just to name a few. 1. I am teaching my final class at ISU, thank goodness. The graduate students seem to think I am crazy when I tell them I don't do rubrics, I don't give grades, and they are supposed to develop a vision, and collaborate with their peers (and myself) before creating a final paper. These things make them crazy, and they tend to lash out at me stating that I am not doing it right. Usually by this time of year they understand, but this year they are particularly stubborn. A lot of it may be the virtual environment, or perhaps how busy I am with other things, but I seemed to have lost my connection to many of them. 2. We have a full house at the Chrysalis Sober Living, which is fantastic, and I just love watching these ladies grow and come into a life they deserve. 3. We have five different 12 step meetings a week at the Community House, of which I chair four. Believe me, I do not want to be chairing all these meetings, but my helpers got full time jobs, which is wonderful for them and sucks for me. 4. We just finished our course on Strengthening Your Core, which was phenomenal and came just in time for me to process the letting go of my apparent failure of an academic career. I am grateful for that! 5. We have started the new workshop series "Already Leading" and the "If I Knew Then" lecture series. 6. We are planning on opening up for yoga! I need this one badly. 7 - 100. Too many things to list and even much more than that to do!!!! I am just taking it one moment at a time as they say in AA. On a fun note, I bought two baby chicks for the Art Garage Opening week! When I taught in the alternative school on the South Side of Chicago, I tried to bring activities that would awaken the softer side of our tougher students. By far my favorite activity was hatching baby chicks. Last year I couldn't resist a small chick I saw at the Farm and Fleet. On an impulse I bought her, and she lived with the guinea pig until we eventually built her a coop. The art garage kids loved Fluffy Cheeks and it was a great opportunity to be gentle with this fragile creature. This year, I decided to get two more chicks for the opening of the Art Garage. I let the kids name them. So Welcome to... Tyler Toby Michael Bob Titus, Jr. and Ruby Fluffy Princess
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Abigail LarrisonEducator, Scientist and Art Maker. The purpose of all life is to spread joy. What brings more joy than making art? Archives
November 2023
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