Reflections on Professional Learning Experiences
A Flurry of Online Learning from March - July 2020
- Anti-Bias and Ani-Racist Panels
- Highr Summer of Learning Panels
- Professional Learning Institute: Concept-Based Curriculum and Instruction Certification Course
- Leading Equity Summit
- EmotionAI Panel
- Prime to S.H.I.N.E. Consulting Course
- PNW BOCES
- Inquiry by the Fire
- Character Strong Whole Child Summit
- EdCampRL
November 2019
ASCD Leader 2 Leader: National Harbor, Maryland
ASCD Leader 2 Leader: National Harbor, Maryland
The best part of the conference? These people. The connections, the small family feel of our strong professional network because of our "Mothership" organization, ASCD. In 2014, I was very fortunate to be chosen to join this group of incredible leaders in education. This conference is always a highlight of my year as it results in stronger bonds, action plans and great things that follow. I am forever grateful to these people and the organization for the opportunities that have presented themselves and for the connections I've made.
March 2019
ASCD Empower19: Chicago
There's always so much to be reflected on and said after a conference, especially one of this size. Empower is the annual ASCD conference and this one was the fifth I attended.
First I'd like to mention that I won't ever leave early again - although I left a day early for good reason. The schedule was packed from beginning to end - and that only included one teeny opportunity to attend a session.
Here's a breakdown:
Friday - This is an opportunity to meet with other ASCD affiliate and get rolling on our ELASCD action plans and finalizing our Executive Board meeting agenda, as well as getting details down for our first Annual General Meeting. Friday finished off with the Welcome Reception, ELASCD Game Night, and some reuniting with some of my favorite people.
Saturday - First official conference day. Started out with our first, face-to-face ELASCD Executive Board meeting. General session keynote was Ron Clark of The Essential 55, The End of Molasses Classes, the Ron Clark Academy and most recently of Survivor. I didn't catch much of his keynote, but what I saw was very high energy. The rest of the day included a leadership luncheon, a couple of meet-ups all sorts of great conversations, our ELASCD group Ignite session, our ELASCD General Meeting, and the President's Reception.
Sunday - Started early with me running between two sessions, followed by the keynote speaker, Doris Kearns Goodwin. I quite enjoy when the keynotes aren't necessarily educators, but also people who are great leaders, writers, and historians. And wow, can she talk! Really interesting stories of former presidents. Following this was the Ken Robinson luncheon, which was so so great. It was such an amazing opportunity to listen to him live. Sadly I had to leave it early to get to the airport.
So that was the whirlwind. I left feeling great as many plans had been put into action yet I felt unsettled leaving without fully wrapping up the conference experience. Oh well, next time.
ASCD Empower19: Chicago
There's always so much to be reflected on and said after a conference, especially one of this size. Empower is the annual ASCD conference and this one was the fifth I attended.
First I'd like to mention that I won't ever leave early again - although I left a day early for good reason. The schedule was packed from beginning to end - and that only included one teeny opportunity to attend a session.
Here's a breakdown:
Friday - This is an opportunity to meet with other ASCD affiliate and get rolling on our ELASCD action plans and finalizing our Executive Board meeting agenda, as well as getting details down for our first Annual General Meeting. Friday finished off with the Welcome Reception, ELASCD Game Night, and some reuniting with some of my favorite people.
Saturday - First official conference day. Started out with our first, face-to-face ELASCD Executive Board meeting. General session keynote was Ron Clark of The Essential 55, The End of Molasses Classes, the Ron Clark Academy and most recently of Survivor. I didn't catch much of his keynote, but what I saw was very high energy. The rest of the day included a leadership luncheon, a couple of meet-ups all sorts of great conversations, our ELASCD group Ignite session, our ELASCD General Meeting, and the President's Reception.
Sunday - Started early with me running between two sessions, followed by the keynote speaker, Doris Kearns Goodwin. I quite enjoy when the keynotes aren't necessarily educators, but also people who are great leaders, writers, and historians. And wow, can she talk! Really interesting stories of former presidents. Following this was the Ken Robinson luncheon, which was so so great. It was such an amazing opportunity to listen to him live. Sadly I had to leave it early to get to the airport.
So that was the whirlwind. I left feeling great as many plans had been put into action yet I felt unsettled leaving without fully wrapping up the conference experience. Oh well, next time.
November 2018
ASCD Conference on Educational Leadership Reflection: Nashville
What can I say about this conference? So many opportunities to connect and learn from leaders in education.
This was a new experience for ASCD and Emerging Leaders as the annual CEL and Leader2Leader conferences were cohabiting in the same space and over the same weekend. For me, there was a lot going on: trying to participate in some of the L2L events, conducting two rounds of a workshop, getting a few sessions in, and networking with a number of people for various reasons. The weekend definitely kept me on my toes and I'm always grateful for the experiences, but my head was spinning much of the time because the timetable had me overwhelmed.
This was my second experience at CEL and fifth for L2L and I'd be happy to have them on the same weekend again, but perhaps with less time overlapping so I could spend more time with all of the amazing Emerging Leaders that I value so much.
ASCD Conference on Educational Leadership Reflection: Nashville
What can I say about this conference? So many opportunities to connect and learn from leaders in education.
This was a new experience for ASCD and Emerging Leaders as the annual CEL and Leader2Leader conferences were cohabiting in the same space and over the same weekend. For me, there was a lot going on: trying to participate in some of the L2L events, conducting two rounds of a workshop, getting a few sessions in, and networking with a number of people for various reasons. The weekend definitely kept me on my toes and I'm always grateful for the experiences, but my head was spinning much of the time because the timetable had me overwhelmed.
This was my second experience at CEL and fifth for L2L and I'd be happy to have them on the same weekend again, but perhaps with less time overlapping so I could spend more time with all of the amazing Emerging Leaders that I value so much.
September 2018
If you haven't looked through the courses offered on Coursera.com, you should.
These are MOOCs offered by top universities. What they do is offer you a sample of a program by opening a course or two in your desired area of learning. Cousera is a free learning community, unless you want to pay the $50 for your certificate at the end of a course. Cheap! If you want something a little more than just one course, you can sign up for a specialization certificate which will allow you to take a handful of courses for a nominal monthly fee. Totally worth it.
I just finished the brunt of my Managing as a Coach certification through University of California Davis. Loved the work of Kris Plachy, an amazing leadership coach. I've got my practice coaching conversations to completion and submit, and I'll be done! Such a great course!
If you haven't looked through the courses offered on Coursera.com, you should.
These are MOOCs offered by top universities. What they do is offer you a sample of a program by opening a course or two in your desired area of learning. Cousera is a free learning community, unless you want to pay the $50 for your certificate at the end of a course. Cheap! If you want something a little more than just one course, you can sign up for a specialization certificate which will allow you to take a handful of courses for a nominal monthly fee. Totally worth it.
I just finished the brunt of my Managing as a Coach certification through University of California Davis. Loved the work of Kris Plachy, an amazing leadership coach. I've got my practice coaching conversations to completion and submit, and I'll be done! Such a great course!
7th July 2018
The Choice to be a Sub
I'm about three weeks out of a school year that wasn't a typical one for me. This year was a time to work on projects, write and think about what my next steps in my career would be. But because I didn't want to completely leave the classroom, I kept myself available to supply teach so I could continue to connect with students and teachers.
This post isn't going to be about all the self-reflecting and passion discovering I've done - although there was plenty of that going on too. What I really want to focus on here is the supply teaching. Subbing. Relief teaching. Whatever you want to call it. Just don't call it babysitting.
The Choice to be a Sub
I'm about three weeks out of a school year that wasn't a typical one for me. This year was a time to work on projects, write and think about what my next steps in my career would be. But because I didn't want to completely leave the classroom, I kept myself available to supply teach so I could continue to connect with students and teachers.
This post isn't going to be about all the self-reflecting and passion discovering I've done - although there was plenty of that going on too. What I really want to focus on here is the supply teaching. Subbing. Relief teaching. Whatever you want to call it. Just don't call it babysitting.
Image cred: https://stedi.org/subs/
Let me unpack this for you (and if you're reading this, I'm likely preaching to the choir, but anyway):
Teachers understand how important a good sub is. But I'll tell you who doesn't - whoever made up a really ignorant job description that allows basically Jo off the street to spend the day in a classroom. When doctors take vacations, do they grab a high school graduate to take over the office? You know the answer. There is a reason why teachers don't want to take sick days - because they spend an hour writing detailed plans for a person that doesn't know what to do. Teachers know it's a waste of time and quite honestly, would rather be with their kids while they feel like crap, than have someone in the room with them that doesn't hasn't been in a school since they were students.
You want to know why qualified teachers; whether new, retired or those that might not want to teach full-time, won't sub? Because they are paid less that someone who works at a coffee shop. So little that you can't even go out for a nice dinner later that day. So little that it's not worth the trouble of even being there because it costs the tolls, parking and gas is equivalent to the day's rate. But this isn't the case in all schools. While subs get paid peanuts in the U.S., the daily rate in international schools is one for which you could actually live on.
Do you know how important it is for qualified subs to be available? So important that it could change how often and how many teachers burn out. So important that it could boost the morale of teaching staff. So important that teachers won't have teacher's guilt when they need a day because they knew that a good sub would be coming in to hold the fort together while a sick day is taken.
But I'll tell you what - those people who are not certified teachers who actually want to sub, and want to learn about teaching and how students learn, I do applaud those people for trying. I have to say, it's a place to start. Unfortunately for those people, there is a lot to learned to be a great sub. One that teachers rely on when they are away. One that actually teaches the plans and uses that strategic language that comes from the mouth of a teacher, so when the teacher returns they feel good about the day the kids had. Teachers can be at ease knowing that their are in capable hands and that upon returning, the room is in tact, there are notes stating the work is done and the kids were great. And then the guilt is gone. And teachers can actually take a sick day or professional learning day and not worry about the kids.
Disclaimer: A bit of a disjointed rant I had here, but thought it needed to be heard. Especially from someone who made the choice to sub and from someone who sees the dire need for more qualified teachers to take on this important role in schools everywhere.
Teachers understand how important a good sub is. But I'll tell you who doesn't - whoever made up a really ignorant job description that allows basically Jo off the street to spend the day in a classroom. When doctors take vacations, do they grab a high school graduate to take over the office? You know the answer. There is a reason why teachers don't want to take sick days - because they spend an hour writing detailed plans for a person that doesn't know what to do. Teachers know it's a waste of time and quite honestly, would rather be with their kids while they feel like crap, than have someone in the room with them that doesn't hasn't been in a school since they were students.
You want to know why qualified teachers; whether new, retired or those that might not want to teach full-time, won't sub? Because they are paid less that someone who works at a coffee shop. So little that you can't even go out for a nice dinner later that day. So little that it's not worth the trouble of even being there because it costs the tolls, parking and gas is equivalent to the day's rate. But this isn't the case in all schools. While subs get paid peanuts in the U.S., the daily rate in international schools is one for which you could actually live on.
Do you know how important it is for qualified subs to be available? So important that it could change how often and how many teachers burn out. So important that it could boost the morale of teaching staff. So important that teachers won't have teacher's guilt when they need a day because they knew that a good sub would be coming in to hold the fort together while a sick day is taken.
But I'll tell you what - those people who are not certified teachers who actually want to sub, and want to learn about teaching and how students learn, I do applaud those people for trying. I have to say, it's a place to start. Unfortunately for those people, there is a lot to learned to be a great sub. One that teachers rely on when they are away. One that actually teaches the plans and uses that strategic language that comes from the mouth of a teacher, so when the teacher returns they feel good about the day the kids had. Teachers can be at ease knowing that their are in capable hands and that upon returning, the room is in tact, there are notes stating the work is done and the kids were great. And then the guilt is gone. And teachers can actually take a sick day or professional learning day and not worry about the kids.
Disclaimer: A bit of a disjointed rant I had here, but thought it needed to be heard. Especially from someone who made the choice to sub and from someone who sees the dire need for more qualified teachers to take on this important role in schools everywhere.
9th April 2018
Spring Conference Reflections 2: EARCOS/SENIA Teacher's Conference
To wrap March, I traveled to Bangkok to attend my first EARCOS Teacher's Conference. This conference was planned in partnership with SENIA.
The setting was at the lovely Shangri-la Hotel and Conference Center. The event was well-organized with quality keynotes, plenty of concurrent sessions, food aplenty, a small but sufficient exhibit area for the size of event, and great opportunities for networking. I was excited to meet up with fellow Emerging Leader and a few other ASCD folks.
One of my favorite parts to the weekend of learning was listening to Pernille Ripp, who places a great deal of emphasis on connecting with students. Chatting with LeeAnn Jung of the ASCD Student Growth Center, was a great time. She is an expert in inclusion, and offers plenty of opportunity for professionals to learn more through her work. And of course, my favorite part of the conference was presenting with with presentation partner, Christine Arnold (@carnold005), who is wonderful person to workshop with because of her passion to support all students.
Spring Conference Reflections 2: EARCOS/SENIA Teacher's Conference
To wrap March, I traveled to Bangkok to attend my first EARCOS Teacher's Conference. This conference was planned in partnership with SENIA.
The setting was at the lovely Shangri-la Hotel and Conference Center. The event was well-organized with quality keynotes, plenty of concurrent sessions, food aplenty, a small but sufficient exhibit area for the size of event, and great opportunities for networking. I was excited to meet up with fellow Emerging Leader and a few other ASCD folks.
One of my favorite parts to the weekend of learning was listening to Pernille Ripp, who places a great deal of emphasis on connecting with students. Chatting with LeeAnn Jung of the ASCD Student Growth Center, was a great time. She is an expert in inclusion, and offers plenty of opportunity for professionals to learn more through her work. And of course, my favorite part of the conference was presenting with with presentation partner, Christine Arnold (@carnold005), who is wonderful person to workshop with because of her passion to support all students.
1st April 2018
October and March are busy conference months for teachers. You may have read about all the conferencing I did last October, which was a lot! March wasn't as intense, but two conferences back to back is still a lot to handle.
Spring Conference Reflections: ASCD Empower18
Boston, Massachusetts was the setting for this year's ASCD Empower18. I arrived from Singapore with some afternoon and evening to settle in before diving into the Global Leadership Summit on Friday, March 23rd. The day was hosted in partnership with GlobalEd and Participate, two leaders in personalized professional learning for educators. The day was packed with panels, keynotes and discussion groups. Speakers such as Brandon Wiley and David Faulkner were engaging and inspiring. I came away having listened to and engaged with many other educators seeking to inform our communities about the move towards opening the world to our students.
And that was before Empower18 started... The conference really began with a keynote from Jill Biden, a teacher and advocate for education. She was eloquent and her passion for education was clear in her words.
Sessions were abundant and fulfilling. Lots of time spent reconnecting with other Emerging Leaders at various receptions and events, which was fantastic. A team of my close ASCD Emerging Leader friends and I held an Ignite series about advocacy through and for writing, ranging from student writing all the way through the research writing process. An incredible experience from planning through execution.
October and March are busy conference months for teachers. You may have read about all the conferencing I did last October, which was a lot! March wasn't as intense, but two conferences back to back is still a lot to handle.
Spring Conference Reflections: ASCD Empower18
Boston, Massachusetts was the setting for this year's ASCD Empower18. I arrived from Singapore with some afternoon and evening to settle in before diving into the Global Leadership Summit on Friday, March 23rd. The day was hosted in partnership with GlobalEd and Participate, two leaders in personalized professional learning for educators. The day was packed with panels, keynotes and discussion groups. Speakers such as Brandon Wiley and David Faulkner were engaging and inspiring. I came away having listened to and engaged with many other educators seeking to inform our communities about the move towards opening the world to our students.
And that was before Empower18 started... The conference really began with a keynote from Jill Biden, a teacher and advocate for education. She was eloquent and her passion for education was clear in her words.
Sessions were abundant and fulfilling. Lots of time spent reconnecting with other Emerging Leaders at various receptions and events, which was fantastic. A team of my close ASCD Emerging Leader friends and I held an Ignite series about advocacy through and for writing, ranging from student writing all the way through the research writing process. An incredible experience from planning through execution.
From left: Fred Ende @FredEnde, Michele Ogden @MicheleOgdenEdu, myself, Billy Krakower @bkrawkower, Meghan Everette @bamameghan, Chris Yuknis @ChrisYuknis
Manny Scott made a second appearance keynoting for ASCD's annual conference, which was well-received. And to close out Empower18, General Colin Powell left us all with a strong impression of the depth of his character. A man commanding notice, but gentle in delivery.
All in all, a great 75th conference, complete with a Casino Night to celebrate!
All in all, a great 75th conference, complete with a Casino Night to celebrate!
31st January 2018
A Conference Reflection: 21CLHK
Just over a week ago, I was fortunate enough to go to a conference I had not yet attended: 21CLHK. Not only was I attending for the first time, it was the 10th anniversary, and I was presenting a workshop with a good friend and colleague.
I was a just a bit excited to listen to and attend a workshop with Ewan McIntosh (@NoTosh) of NoTosh. This was one of the highlights of the conference for me, as I was able to connect with Ewan and his colleague, Simon, at the event and have some conversation about this style of workshop and the importance of this kind of work in schools. It's always very exciting to me when I experience workshops and chat with people who share a vision for effective learning practices.
The communication leading up to the conference was effective and clear. The conference app was handy and there were plenty of sessions to chose from within. Initially I was a bit confused about the staggered lunch format, but soon came to realize that it was a format that allowed for flexibility in eating time and types of learning. During a two hour lunch block, participants could pick up a lunch and head into a panel discussion in the main room, go to a workshop, or sit and network. I thought this allowed for a nice range of options without having everyone pick up their lunch and find a spot to eat all in the same hour time slot.
My friend, Christine (@carnold005) and I presented a session on inclusive practices and student self-advocacy, which turned out nicely in the space we had overlooking Victoria Harbor (not too shabby). We had a great group to test out our first round of this workshop! Other workshops focused on student empowerment and agency, and we also noted the heavy emphasis on equity for women in leadership.
In addition, organizers and steering committee provided plenty of opportunities for participants to professionally network as well as socially enjoy Hong Kong while conferencing.
Overall, 21CLHK was a great conference experience!
27th December 2017
A Course in International Leadership and Organizational Development - University of Bocconi
For the month of December, I invested some time in learning more about international leadership theory and practice. The was taken through the University of Bocconi via Coursera, which offered a 6-week program. This MOOC was a great introduction into the enormity of how culture plays a role in the management of people. I came away with some great take-aways from the lectures and found many of the shared readings and TedTalks really valuable, namely the great scope on theories of motivation.
Although the focus was more for the business world, the theories and practicalities were easily transferrable to the world of education because the information was really geared to getting to know people and how they operate, as individuals and as cultures.
A Course in International Leadership and Organizational Development - University of Bocconi
For the month of December, I invested some time in learning more about international leadership theory and practice. The was taken through the University of Bocconi via Coursera, which offered a 6-week program. This MOOC was a great introduction into the enormity of how culture plays a role in the management of people. I came away with some great take-aways from the lectures and found many of the shared readings and TedTalks really valuable, namely the great scope on theories of motivation.
Although the focus was more for the business world, the theories and practicalities were easily transferrable to the world of education because the information was really geared to getting to know people and how they operate, as individuals and as cultures.
6th November 2017
Reflections of a Conferency Month
I had the privilege during this past month to travel and conference to my heart's desire. The beauty in this was that all the conferences were affiliated with an organization I have a strong connection with, yet all the conferences were very different.
1. The start of October was ASCD's Global Connected Communities (GCC) MENA Teacher Summit. This was my first visit to the Middle East as the conference was held in Dubai. Here I had the opportunity to meet educators from the ME region and share thoughts and practice with people in various roles and locations. I was happy to make a few new connections and look forward to connecting with them in the future. The keynote was ASCD author Tom Hoerr, who shared his Formative Five, a book that focuses on the skills beyond the academics, the other skills that help people become successful in life. I've got a short review of the book on the READ section of this site.
2. A three-part east coast of North America conference tour took me to:
a) Long Branch, New Jersey for NJASCD/NJPSA for my first stop. This was event was really well-organized and in a beautiful location on the Jersey Shore. It was here I participated in my first Ignite presentation, which failed mostly terribly. But, I figured most people didn't have a great first Ignite due to the "there's no time to think" pressure of the 5 minute talk time! If nothing else, I've had good reflection and know what to do for my next one - which is: stick to the plan! Sessions at this conference offered great variety from social media safety to EdCamp style workshops for staff.
b) Boston, MA for stop two. This Whole Child Whole Person Summit at Boston College was the first event of its kind for ASCD in its partnership with Boston College. The two days were organized with multiple scholar talks, in Ted-Talk style intermingled with panels of experts and complete with mentor talk time. My mind was blown by the depth of content and range of experts. So much great thinking came from that event.
c) Orlando, FL for the final stop for ASCD Conference on Educational Leadership. This was my first time at this conference and was a good opportunity to broaden the scope of what I was used to. I'm happy to say that Myron Dueck wins my vote for best keynote in the history of me watching keynotes due to his use of analogies and his Canadianisms. At this event, many of sessions were presented by ASCD authors which was a great way to get close and personal to the people who spend time researching and getting all their great ideas into a bound piece.
There's a reason why October is my favorite month. And now it's not only because of the change in season or the fun days of celebration.
Reflections of a Conferency Month
I had the privilege during this past month to travel and conference to my heart's desire. The beauty in this was that all the conferences were affiliated with an organization I have a strong connection with, yet all the conferences were very different.
1. The start of October was ASCD's Global Connected Communities (GCC) MENA Teacher Summit. This was my first visit to the Middle East as the conference was held in Dubai. Here I had the opportunity to meet educators from the ME region and share thoughts and practice with people in various roles and locations. I was happy to make a few new connections and look forward to connecting with them in the future. The keynote was ASCD author Tom Hoerr, who shared his Formative Five, a book that focuses on the skills beyond the academics, the other skills that help people become successful in life. I've got a short review of the book on the READ section of this site.
2. A three-part east coast of North America conference tour took me to:
a) Long Branch, New Jersey for NJASCD/NJPSA for my first stop. This was event was really well-organized and in a beautiful location on the Jersey Shore. It was here I participated in my first Ignite presentation, which failed mostly terribly. But, I figured most people didn't have a great first Ignite due to the "there's no time to think" pressure of the 5 minute talk time! If nothing else, I've had good reflection and know what to do for my next one - which is: stick to the plan! Sessions at this conference offered great variety from social media safety to EdCamp style workshops for staff.
b) Boston, MA for stop two. This Whole Child Whole Person Summit at Boston College was the first event of its kind for ASCD in its partnership with Boston College. The two days were organized with multiple scholar talks, in Ted-Talk style intermingled with panels of experts and complete with mentor talk time. My mind was blown by the depth of content and range of experts. So much great thinking came from that event.
c) Orlando, FL for the final stop for ASCD Conference on Educational Leadership. This was my first time at this conference and was a good opportunity to broaden the scope of what I was used to. I'm happy to say that Myron Dueck wins my vote for best keynote in the history of me watching keynotes due to his use of analogies and his Canadianisms. At this event, many of sessions were presented by ASCD authors which was a great way to get close and personal to the people who spend time researching and getting all their great ideas into a bound piece.
There's a reason why October is my favorite month. And now it's not only because of the change in season or the fun days of celebration.
September 2017
A little background on my love for learning as the school year begins in many places around the world....
I know I’m not they only one who loved going to the drug store to get their new school supplies, and I’m not the only one who couldn’t wait to go to the mall to find the right outfit for the first day of school.
These simple acts actually show the importance of being prepared. Being prepared to go to school every day and feel like you belong, like you are ready for the challenge ahead.
I loved school, and still do. The value of education came from my parents. Educated in a different time, in different ways and in different places, but they always enforced the importance of education for the best opportunities life had to offer. So I always knew it was my job to do my very best. And come on, it was fun! Learning is fun! I loved creating posters, writing notes on the Inuit or Brazil, working in groups. I may not have been the smartest or always worked the hardest, but learning was, and still is like nothing else.
Dr. Seuss was right… it really is true that education will take you places, and sometimes we have no idea where that place is.
(A note: I actually wrote this in 2014... and found it on a blog that I forgot I started!)
A little background on my love for learning as the school year begins in many places around the world....
I know I’m not they only one who loved going to the drug store to get their new school supplies, and I’m not the only one who couldn’t wait to go to the mall to find the right outfit for the first day of school.
These simple acts actually show the importance of being prepared. Being prepared to go to school every day and feel like you belong, like you are ready for the challenge ahead.
I loved school, and still do. The value of education came from my parents. Educated in a different time, in different ways and in different places, but they always enforced the importance of education for the best opportunities life had to offer. So I always knew it was my job to do my very best. And come on, it was fun! Learning is fun! I loved creating posters, writing notes on the Inuit or Brazil, working in groups. I may not have been the smartest or always worked the hardest, but learning was, and still is like nothing else.
Dr. Seuss was right… it really is true that education will take you places, and sometimes we have no idea where that place is.
(A note: I actually wrote this in 2014... and found it on a blog that I forgot I started!)