Don’t Worry, Be Bored
… Much of our anxiety ‘stems from our busy, overactive minds always needing entertainment, something to focus on, and always wondering ‘What’s next?’ …
Howard L. Craft and Mike Wiley's The Christmas Case of Hezekiah Jones Is a Live, Local, Family-Friendly Holiday-Themed Entertainment
The story focuses on Hezekiah Jones, a Chapel Hill toymaker who is losing his joy in Christmas and just about everything else after the recent death of his wife. Hezekiah's daughter Harriet, who is studying at UNC to be an astrophysicist, is worried that her father is going to sell the store, due to rising costs, technology, and declining customers. Dizzle Jollyworth, a North Pole elf who has lost his sense of purpose, has been assigned to revive Hezekiah Jones' Christmas spirit.
The Perils of Christmas
I love the Christmas decorations and songs that permeate offices, stores and homes. I love the legend of Santa Claus, who dedicates his life to the service of others. And I think it is important to remember and teach our kids about Jesus, if not as the Son of God, then as a most significant historical, political and spiritual figure and the cornerstone of the world's largest religion. But each year I have increasingly conflicted feelings about Christmas and the hypocritical way it's celebrated…
Scrap Paper Shakespeare's Dec. 6-15 Production of Claire F. Martin's 2023 Feminist Comedy, Arabella, Is Up Close and Personal at Yours, Durham
Belle Esprit premiered Arabella at Atlanta's Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse in 2023, making Scrap Paper Shakespeare's production only the second time the play has been performed publicly.
The Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens' American Railroad Really Is A Musical Journey of Reclamation
…At two hours long with an additional 20-minute intermission, an evening performance of Silkroad's American Railroad is not for the faint hearted. But you will only benefit from this passionately auditory reflection on those nameless souls who have contributed (and continue to do so) to the freedom and convenience enjoyed in America.
What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck Champions Truly Equal, Inclusive, and Just Governance
…From the legal definition of "penumbra" to positive verses negative rights to the Town of Castle Rock versus Gonzalez and other frightening Supreme Court decisions, every American should experience the lessons contained in What the Constitution Means to Me.
Mail Order Ministers
… As long as exceptional financial benefits and protections exist for churches and religious leaders, a person shouldn’t be eligible for legal ordination simply because (s)he can click a mouse.…
We Are Free You and Me by Colin Kaepernick and Nessa Diab
Not only are Kaepernick’s children’s picture books thought provoking and fun to read aloud, they are an example of social entrepreneurship of the purest kind, as 100% of their proceeds go to Know Your Rights Camp, which provides over $1.75 million in partnerships and collaborative grants to Black and brown communities as well as all-inclusive camps that are conducted nationwide to educate and empower Black and brown youth to be the change they want to see.
Supporting Asheville and Western North Carolina’s Recovery from Hurricane Helene through Music
Hurricane Helene may have passed, but its impact on Asheville and the surrounding regions of Western North Carolina is still felt deeply. Attending upcoming concerts and music events not only provides entertainment but also contributes to the local economy and fosters community spirit. Here’s how you can get involved and help Asheville and Western North Carolina bounce back from the storm.
When Parents Can’t Read
…The principal said there’s nothing we can do about what happens at home; we can only maximize what we can do during the 8 hours that they are at school. In other words, our hands are tied. It’s a far worse prognosis and one that I simply cannot accept.
Homeowners Hung Out to Dry
… The legalities surrounding stormwater issues are gray at best. Apparently, the state owns the water, the city owns the pipes and streams (though even that is debatable), and the property owners own the land. So who is accountable when stormwater redirected by private developers damages property downstream?…
PlayMakers Rep's Rendition of Lynn Nottage's Crumbs from the Table of Joy Is a Soul-Pinching, Conversation-Generating Production
… Sometimes evoking Denzel Washington in the 2016 movie Fences, at other times John Amos in the 1970's sitcom Good Times, John Mark's laugh is contagious; and the earnestness with which he portrays Godfrey's rage-suppressed angst and desire to do well by his family is commendable.
Paperhand Puppet Intervention's Earth and Sky Features a Plethora of New Giant Puppets
The Paperhand Puppet Intervention’s performance of Earth and Sky at the historic, outdoor Forest Theater in Chapel Hill is a night to remember—if only to see this year’s plethora of new giant puppets in action.
Rewriting America’s Tax Code
What a mess. The US needs to rewrite its tax code from scratch in order to root out all the loopholes enabling the ultra wealthy to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. #NotHoldingMyBreath
Starting Over with Clover
… My clover and abundant flowering plants aren’t just pretty; they hold the soil in place, naturally filter storm water before it flows into Jordan Lake, and absorb rain water that will otherwise flood or turn my yard to quicksand. Cisterns and rain-barrels enable even more water and nutrients to be recycled where I want them…
The Importance of Repetition
If you want your kids to digest the information in a book, you have to read it more than once. And it’s always best if you read it *together*. Many teaching styles are based on engaging repetition, including those of well-known Shinichi Suzuki. My hope is that you will approach my children’s books in this way as well.
The Museum of Very Bad Smells: A Dare to Scratch 'n' Sniff Mystery by Monica Arnaldo
The Museum of Very Bad Smells will, no doubt, be interesting to children for the first read or two. It will also, no doubt, be disappointing to children who open the book to find that the smells “don’t work.” For this reason, you may want to purchase the book in a store where you can test it out, rather than online.
Mouse on the River by Alice Melvin: A Review
Mouse on the River is—in a word—delightful. This is not just a book that you’ll read once or twice. It is a book that children will want to read over and over again, with pictures they will scrutinize repeatedly on their own, and that will, no doubt, remain on many of their bookshelves until they are adults and have children of their own.
Short-Changing Babies — A Presentation for the Perinatal Quality Collaborative of North Carolina (PQCNC)
Whether or not it’s true, a lot of people think that the reason such discussion doesn’t happen is because doctors nowadays are under pressure to see so many patients per day that they simply don’t have or take the time to engage their patients and truly question and inform them regarding their medical decisions. Furthermore, the medical business has become such a business that patients are too often seen as paying clients who deserve a significant level of customer service. In other words, their patients should get what they want as long as it doesn’t put the business in more danger of litigation…