To help heal addictions in 12-step meetings, the leader reads “the promises,” which say that, if we follow the recommended practices, “we are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. …We will know peace.” A writing teacher says, “positivity and expansiveness … will give you access to your essential creative channels. … […]
Forecaster opinion
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Through My Lens: Horn of Africa diaspora needs to address drought
I sit in a cabin in the woods of Maine in Deer Isle as I work on this column. Looking through the window I am greeted by spruce trees, moss and granite ledge. After some rain fell in Maine over the past week it looks like the trees are as happy as they could ever […]
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Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Mainers should be thankful for cheeky New York columnist
Each and every one of us owe a huge thank you to Cindy Adams, the visiting New Yorker who recently wrote about her trip to the Pine Tree State in an article for the New York Post. I’m guessing you’ve read it? Or maybe you’ve read about it? It is exactly the sort of ridiculous, […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Life Unwound: Letting go of the impossible dream
A friend recently asked me, “Have you ever wanted something that was impossible?” She didn’t ask me to name that something. Phew! Who wants to reveal their deepest longings, fantasies, or maybe that shiny thing tinged with the teeniest bit of greed? “Yes, of course,” I answered simply. “It’s about loss, right?” She smiled and […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: At long last, bird-friendly windows
My father was a man who really loved good design. He paid attention to the small details: the way a door handle felt when grasped, the balance of a coffee pot as it was lifted to pour, the line of a fender on a car going past. Dad managed to pass his love of design […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Sustainably Speaking: A surprising climate action you could be taking
Let’s face it: the climate crisis is depressing. As I write this on a beautiful, cool summer day, I can almost forget about it. Almost. But it’s always there now, this knowledge of our shifting ecosystems and livelihoods at risk. The climate crisis is this huge, overwhelming thing that is, honestly, painful and hard to […]
Posted inForecaster Opinion
Portland Superintendent’s Notebook: Prioritizing mental and behaviorial health for all
As August draws to a close, I’m hopeful that everyone got a chance to unwind this summer and is ready to start the new school year with a renewed sense of enthusiasm and purpose. At the same time, I’m also mindful that this year follows an incredibly difficult 2021-2022 school year. That’s why one of […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Through My Lens: Thankful to be eight years a Mainer
I woke up on Aug. 11 to celebrate my eighth anniversary of leaving refugee life in Kenya and moving to Maine. Sometimes I find it hard to believe this much time has gone by since I departed Kenya carrying only a refugee document and a U.S. visa printed on a piece of paper. I remember […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Turning up the heat on winter preparations
Back when I was a kid, “Aesop’s Fables” had a sort of fashionable revival and it was fairly common to hear them read aloud at the library story time. They were even a regular feature on Sesame Street. One of these was “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” The way the story goes (in most versions), […]
Posted inAmerican Journal, Forecaster Opinion, Lakes Region Weekly
Mainewhile: Let’s swear by a social contract of civility
My bestie Reed once said to me, “Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.” At the time she was referring to my ill-conceived decision to grab scissors and give myself some bangs. She was right, it was not a good look for me, but her larger sentiment, the moral of the story, […]