When I was younger, I was fortunate enough to live next door to a very wise and patient lady. Each day after school I would make my way over to Joan and Jim’s house and soak up the advice she gave me on a regular basis. Joan never preached to me and never intentionally pushed advice on me, but her words stuck with me throughout my entire adolescence. She was very wise and one of the most influential women I’ve ever come into contact with. I was convinced that Joan knew something about everything (and still do). I would plant myself in her kitchen or at the piano in the dining room while she prepared dinner and would tell me about what she was cooking. I would run errands with her and listen as she patiently would tell me why she purchased the items she did. I would take walks with Joan and listen to her talk about her Weight Watchers meetings and the exercises we should try. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Category: Blog
What is Good Writing?
Every semester, it never fails, that a student asks me what constitutes good writing. I welcome this question although it is difficult to answer. The truth is that good writing is subjective and what I may deem as a good piece, someone else may not. However, I’m going to attempt to answer this question with a list of possibilities – a realm of traits that have led me to rave about and cherish a piece of writing. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Contests: Guessing Game or Gut Reaction?
I’ve been playing a guessing game all day. It involves guessing what other people think, what they value and what they like. It’s called the contest game and it’s a game I hate to play every year. The game is part of my job as a college media adviser. At the beginning of each year, my students and I pour over a year’s worth of newspapers and select entries in 27 categories for the Missouri College Media Association’s annual contest. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Miss Independent
I love music for its obvious reasons – it helps to trigger memories, it livens up a really dull party and it seems to alter our moods and make us feel something real. Most of all, I love the lyrics. There is nothing more powerful than words that speak directly to your heart accompanied by a melody that soothes the soul. Sometimes, though, the lyrics are too real, so real that the words sung make us uncomfortable and distressed, terrorizing the soul with the truth. These brutally honest words make us see who we really are despite who we really want to be. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Journo Nerd
I’ve always known that I had a nerd in me. I tried to hide it for years, but it finally came full circle when I admitted to my obsession with office supplies. Colored pens, cardstock paper, mini notebooks, cute little binder clips, file folders – all of it excites me. Every few months, I attempt to re-organize my files and my office. I pretend that it is necessary to get myself organized, but honestly, it is just an excuse to buy more office supplies and gadgets. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Howdy Neighbor
After spending two weeks listening to my children fight with each other about anything and everything possible, we resorted back to a plan we adopted last summer. They became neighbors, not siblings. As odd and unconventional as the plan sounds, it has worked for us in the past and evolved out of desperation. My son and daughter are at ages (9 and 11) where they both want independence, they don’t want to be bothered with a younger brother or older sister, and they don’t seem to mesh as well as they did when they were younger. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Top 10 Blog Posts of 2009
Over the past six months, I’ve produced some heartfelt writing and some shabby fill-ins as my blog evolved. During this time, I’ve realized that what I thought was a great post (or a fun one to write) may not have interested or inspired anyone else. Today’s post is dedicated to what my readers have deemed as the top blog posts of 2009. The results are based on my blog stats and the number of page views – not necessarily scientific but definitely an indication of what you, as my readers, chose to read. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
What’s My Niche?
Since I started this blog in July, I have read everything possible about blogging. From how to increase traffic to how to engage readers, the experts out in the blogosphere have so much to say. I have learned a lot and I’ve followed some of the advice, but to be honest, much of it I have not. In particular – narrowing my niche. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
The Origin of Woo Hoo Gifts
Sometimes, the best traditions evolve by accident. My family is no exception. In fact, we have our very own woo hoo gift tradition every Christmas that most people don’t understand. It began when I was a child and I’m proud to say that I created the whole woo hoo phenomenon. We all have that one gift that we receive that is the most special. It is not always an expensive gift but more so one that means the most to us. Every year, my mom would wait for my “Woo Hoo!” and she would know which gift she gave me was the most special. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Where Are You Christmas?
There is no question that December is always the busiest month of the year for teachers. We are trying to finish up grading just to end the semester, rushing to post our grades on time, and packing up our offices for our month-long “break.” In between all of this, holiday shopping, wrapping and baking is thrust into our schedule without any time to breathe. We hustle, we bustle, and we often lose sight of why we rush around. Sadly, it always takes me awhile to get into the Christmas spirit. Read the rest at http://www.shannonphilpott.com
Shannon Philpott-Sanders 