Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story | Video on TED.com

Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story | Video on TED.com

This is a wonderful talk that I will use in my intro to anthropology classes.

Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson -- Daily Anthem

Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson is one of those songs that makes me smile from the inside out. It reminds me of "the comfort of love."

This Too Shall Pass by OK Go --Daily Anthem

This is a great video and a wonderful song for a daily anthem. You have to listen to the song separately from the video to really appreciate the words --In my case, I get too caught up in the coolness of the video to pay attention to both at the same time.

Faith Moves Mountains featured

This blog post features research that one of my colleagues is participating in.

I Gotta Feeling Black-eyed Peas - Daily Anthem

The kids and I love to dance to this song. Also, while I'm humming it in my head, I can change the words to "Today's going to be a good day." As far as anthems go - Perfect!

Is Your Computer a Friend or Foe to Productivity?

This is a complicated question. There are many web-based tools that I have mentioned previously that can enhance your productivity, especially when that productivity involves writing. However, I also know that my computer time hinders my productive capacity. It must for others as well. Otherwise there wouldn't be so many tools out there to turn off the internet capability on your computer so you can actually write without distractions. Here's one tool for the Mac.

On our campus they have writing boot camps where people commit to writing for a week in a computer lab that has had the internet access disabled.

Sometimes you simply need a mental break from what you are working on. Google has a "take a break" feature that disables your computer for 15 minutes - enough time for a mental refresh, quick snack, or brief walk.

Getting Over Writing Anxiety

Something that seems to hit most graduate students at least once in their young careers is writing anxiety. For me it hit in full force during my second year and that fear can still creep up on me when I least expect it or desire it. So, what can you do?

I was introduced to a productivity tool that can also help with writing anxiety called Write or Die. It is web-based but can also be purchased for download onto your own machine. Check it out. It was useful for me to start getting words on paper and helped to keep my momentum going. However, if you find staring at a computer screen unproductive, try getting out a legal pad and start scribbling. Set a timer and force yourself to write for 10 minutes at a time.

Also, I found that creating a relationship with a specific person at the Writing Center on campus was a real boost. I always make my appointments with my person. It helps that she is a kind soul and seems interested in my subject area. She helps catch my most common mistakes and makes the review process extremely pleasant because we can laugh and joke while we edit.

You could also form a partnership with another graduate student and do the same thing for each other.

Another option, which I haven't tried but looks interesting, is a paid writing coach, something like the writing club at The Academic Ladder.